Considerations for and Initial Clinical Results of a Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant. First Results of a Feasibility Study & 3 Year Follow Up

Cochlear implants (CI) are neuroprosthetic devices which restore hearing in severe-to-profound deafness through direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. Current CIs use an external audio processor that is worn behind the ear, which houses the microphone, power source, and signal processing hardware. For users, this external device can be a source of both inconvenience and cosmetic limitations. A long-term goal in the field has been to develop a new generation of implants in which all components are contained within a single subdermal implant. We present clinical results from the one year follow up feasibility study with the totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI). The first six implantations started from September 2020 onwards in two centers. Data collected over the subsequent 52 weeks are presented. In addition own data for 3 years follow up until November 2023 from the Munich Center are shown. Implantation was carried out via the standard surgical approach, and post-surgical recovery was uncomplicated. Clinical testing showed that the TICI provides high levels of hearing performance early after first fitting, equivalent to that of a conventional CI. At the one year interval we found no difference between invisible mode and the classical CI mode. The development of the TICI advances the field of audiology and hearing implants.