Metronome-guided cochlear implantation for slower and smoother insertions of lateral wall electrodes

Introduction Achieving a slow and smooth electrode array insertion is paramount for preserving structural and functional integrity during cochlear implantation. This controlled study evaluates the efficacy of a metronome-guided insertion technique in enhancing the smoothness and speed of electrode a...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology Vol. 281; no. 9; pp. 4603 - 4609
Main Authors:	Wimmer, W., de Oliveira, J. Veloso, Breitsprecher, T. M., Hans, S., Van Rompaey, V., Van de Heyning, P., Dazert, S., Weiss, Nora M.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-09-2024
Subjects:	Head and Neck Surgery Medicine Medicine & Public Health Neurosurgery Otology Otorhinolaryngology Insertion monitoring Free fitting electrode array Robotic cochlear implantation Insertion friction Hearing preservation
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Introduction Achieving a slow and smooth electrode array insertion is paramount for preserving structural and functional integrity during cochlear implantation. This controlled study evaluates the efficacy of a metronome-guided insertion technique in enhancing the smoothness and speed of electrode array insertions. Methods In a prospective cohort study, patients undergoing cochlear implant surgery between 2022 and 2023 with lateral wall electrode arrays were included. Metronome guidance was delivered through an acoustic signal via headphones during electrode array insertion in cochlear implantation and compared to a control group without metronome-guidance. Results In total, 37 cases were evaluated, including 25 conventional insertions and 12 metronome-guided insertions. The results indicate that metronome-guided insertions were significantly slower (− 0.46 mm/s; p < 0.001) without extending the overall procedure time. This can be attributed to fewer paused sections observed in the metronome-guided technique. Moreover, metronome-guided insertions exhibited superior performance in terms of insertion smoothness and a reduced number of re-gripping events. Conclusions The findings support the recommendation for the systematic application of metronome guidance in the manual insertion of cochlear implant electrode arrays, emphasizing its potential to optimize surgical outcomes.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0937-4477 1434-4726 1434-4726
DOI:	10.1007/s00405-024-08639-4