Correlation between word recognition score and intracochlear new bone and fibrous tissue after cochlear implantation in the human.

Correlation between word recognition score and intracochlear new bone and fibrous tissue after cochlear implantation in the human. Hear Res. 2016 Jun 29; Authors: Kamakura T, Nadol JB Abstract Cochlear implantation is an effective, established procedure for patients with profound deafness. Although implant electrodes have been considered as biocompatible prostheses, surgical insertion of the electrode induces various changes within the cochlea. Immediate changes include insertional trauma to the cochlea. Delayed changes include a tissue response consisting of inflammation, fibrosis and neo-osteogenesis induced by trauma and an immunologic reaction to a foreign body. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of these delayed changes on the word recognition scores achieved post-operatively. Seventeen temporal bones from patients who in life had undergone cochlear implantation were prepared for light microscopy. We digitally calculated the volume of fibrous tissue and new bone within the cochlea using Amira(®) three-dimensional reconstruction software and assessed the correlations of various clinical and histologic factors. The postoperative CNC word score was positively correlated with total spiral ganglion cell count. Fibrous tissue and new bone were found within the cochlea of all seventeen specimens. The postoperative CNC word score was negatively correlated with the % volume of new bone within the scala tympani, scala medi...
Source: Hearing Research - Category: Audiology Authors: Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research