A temporal bone study of insertion trauma and intracochlear position of cochlear implant electrodes. I: Comparison of Nucleus banded and Nucleus Contour™ electrodes

The Contour™ electrode inserted more deeply (mean depth = 17.9 mm or 417°) than the banded electrode (mean depth = 15.3 mm or 285°). The incidence and severity of trauma varied substantially among the temporal bones studied. However, the nature and frequency of injuries observed with the two devices were very similar. The Contour™ electrode was clearly positioned closer to the modiolus than the banded model, and also appeared easier to use. Based on this difference in position and data from previous studies we conclude that the Contour™ electrode may provide lower thresholds and improved channel selectivity, but the incidence of trauma remains a problem with the newer design. The relative influences of electrode positioning and neural degeneration that may result from trauma are as yet unclear.