Emerging Technologies in Implantable Auditory Prostheses

Abstract

Program Description: Current prosthetic auditory implants have achieved a high level of success, however, it would be fair to say that performance gains over the past decade have reached a stable plateau. The latest phase of development has centered primarily on increasing stimulus resolution, preserving residual auditory ultrastructure and function, and implanting higher order neural pathways. To serve these objectives, electrodes have been designed to more closely approximate the spiral ganglion and be inserted virtually atraumatically. Implantation of the higher order pathways has already been performed with combinations of penetrating needles or electrode paddles at the brainstem. Prototypes even exist for stimulation as high up as the auditory cortex. We are now also witnessing the development of highly focused fiberoptic delivery systems for infrared laser energy as the stimulus source. A panel of surgeons and scientists, all of whom have been involved in both clinical and basic science of auditory implants, will debate the strategies being developed to foster the next leap in performance gains. The seminar will begin with a candid appraisal of the successes of currently marketed achievements including modiolar hugging electrodes, hearing preservation hybrid implants, compressed and split arrays for severely malformed and obstructed cochleae, and bilateral implantation. Minimally invasive surgical techniques will be examined with the questions posed: What truly constitutes a minimally invasive procedure? What technical features need to be retained in order to maintain necessary safeguards and precautions? The variable successes of auditory brainstem implantation will be reviewed with an eye toward future improvement. The panelists will then present their collective experience with emerging technologies aiming to push the envelope of performance higher into the future. The constant gains in microprocessor speeds will offer opportunities for development of novel processing strategies including current steering. The emerging concept of integrated drug delivery systems will require a careful re-exploration of the well-known design problems of hermeticity, durability, and ultrastructural trauma induction. Changes in stimulus energy source (eg, infrared laser) will undoubtedly require radical changes in device designs and coding strategies. It is the hope of the organizers that this miniseminar will benefit both the attendees and the panelists through the process of evaluative debate and exploration of new ideas.

Educational Objectives: 1) Understand the current status and future direction of hybrid “hearing preservation” cochlear implantation. 2) Understand the newest device and coding strategies including infrared laser optical based devices. 3) Be familiar with the current systems under development including vestibular prostheses, DACS and ABI.