Influence of the Intracranial Contents on the Head Motion under Bone Conduction.

INTRODUCTION: The mechanism of non-osseous bone conduction pathways, involving the intracranial contents (ICC) of the skull, is still not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the ICC on the skull bone wave propagation, including dependence on stimulation location and coupling. METHODS: Three Thiel-embalmed whole-head cadaver specimens were studied before and after the removal of the ICC. Stimulation was via the electromagnetic actuators from commercial bone conduction hearing aids. Osseous pathways were sequentially activated by mastoid, forehead, and bone-anchored hearing aid location stimulation via a 5-Newton steel headband or percutaneously implanted screw. Non-osseous pathways were activated by stimulation on the eye and dura via a 5-Newton steel headband and a custom-made pneumatic holder, respectively. Under each test condition, the 3D motion of the superior skull bone was monitored at ∼200 points. RESULTS: The averaged response of the skull surface showed limited differences due to the removal of the ICC. In some isolated cases, the modal pattern on the skull surface showed a trend for an upshift (∼1/2 octave) in the observed natural frequencies for drained heads. This was also consistent with an observed trend for an upshift in the transition frequency in the estimated deformation across the lateral surfaces of the temporal bones. Such changes were consistent with the expected reduction in mass and damping due to the absence of the ICC. CONCLUSION: Overall, the ICC affect to a limited extent the motion of the skull bone, with a limited trend for a reduction of its natural frequencies.

Electrode migration after cochlear implantation.

Objective: To investigate impedance change of cochlear implant (CI) electrodes from CochlearTM in patients with straight and precurved electrodes, and to determine if impedance change of the basal electrodes are indicative for cochlear electrode migration. Methods: Retrospective case series at an academic tertiary referral center. Five hundred sixty patients (414 precurved, 146 straight) received a CI from CochlearTM between January 2010 and August 2018. Electrode impedance measured intraoperatively and during follow-up has been assessed. In case of impedance change of the 3 most basal electrodes a computer tomography (CT) scan has been performed. Cochlear position of the electrode array has been determined and compared to the one day postoperative electrode position (plain radiography). Results: Changes in electrode impedance in the basal electrodes occurred in 2.1% ears (n = 12). CT scan was available in 9 patients and revealed a migration of the electrode array in 6 patients. Straight electrode types showed a significantly higher migration rate than precurved electrode types (4.1% vs 0%). Conclusions: Electrode impedance is a useful tool to investigate electrode array integrity as well as to raise suspicion of possible electrode migration. Patients implanted with a straight electrode from CochlearTM array might benefit from lead wire fixation.