Objective: To investigate the intracochlear electrode position in using rotational tomography in adult cochlear implant patients.
Study design: Retrospective.
Setting: Tertiary referral center.
Patients: Eighteen adult patients being implanted either with a Nucleus straight electrode array or a Contour electrode with a total of 22 implanted ears. Preoperative computed tomography had been without evidence for obliteration, ossification, or malformation of the cochlea.
Intervention: Rotational tomography.
Main outcome measures: The intracochlear electrode position was evaluated with regard to scala tympani, scala vestibuli, and a dislocation from one scala to the other. The intraoperative procedure was compared with the electrode position by analyzing the operating reports.
Results: Preliminary results indicate, respectively, that there is a higher incidence of intracochlear trauma in using the Contour electrode array than expected with a more frequent dislocation of electrode arrays from scala tympani to scala vestibuli and that there is a higher rate of scala vestibuli insertions.
Conclusions: The impact of these findings may influence further developments of electrode arrays as well as surgical techniques for implantation.