Electrode impedance fluctuations as a biomarker for inner ear pathology after cochlear implantation

June Choi; Matthew R. Payne; Luke J. Campbell; Christo W. Bester; Carrie Newbold; Hayden Eastwood; Stephen J. O'Leary

doi:10.1097/MAO.0000000000001589

Electrode impedance fluctuations as a biomarker for inner ear pathology after cochlear implantation

June Choi, Matthew R. Payne, Luke J. Campbell, Christo W. Bester, Carrie Newbold, Hayden Eastwood, Stephen J. O'Leary

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives/Hypothesis: Cochlear implant surgery now aims to preserve residual low frequency hearing. The current research explores whether fluctuations in the electrical impedance of cochlear implant electrodes may act as a biomarker for pathological changes that lead to the delayed loss of residual hearing. Study Design: Secondary analysis of a double-blinded randomized trial, where methylprednisolone was administered intravenously before cochlear implantation with a view to preserving residual hearing. Methods: Seventy-four patients with residual hearing after cochlear implant surgery were investigated for an impedance "spike," defined as a median rise of ≥4kΩ across all electrodes from the baseline measurements. Spikes were related to objective and subjective hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus. Results: An impedance spike occurred in 14% (10/74) of enrolled patients. Three months after surgery, five patients exhibited spikes and three of these patients had a total loss of their residual hearing. 4.3% of the 69 patients without spikes lost residual hearing. At 1 year, 9 of 10 patients who exhibited spikes had lost all their residual hearing. 8.1% of the 37 patients who did not experience a spike lost their residual hearing. Seventy percent of patients exhibiting a spike also experienced vertigo. The administration of steroids at the time of surgery did not influence the occurrence of spikes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is a relationship between a spike and the loss of residual hearing. It seems that rises in impedance can reflect pathology within the inner ear and predict the future loss of residual hearing.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1433-1439
Number of pages	7
Journal	Otology and Neurotology
Volume	38
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0000000000001589
Publication status	Published - 2017 Dec 1
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Stephen J. O’Leary, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Victorian, Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, Melbourne East 3002, Australia; E-mail: [email protected] S.J.O. is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The corresponding author’s University receives research grants from Cochlear Ltd. This research was conducted at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available in the text.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2017 Otology & Neurotology, Inc.

Keywords

Cochlear implant
Impedance
Residual hearing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Otorhinolaryngology
Sensory Systems
Clinical Neurology

Access to Document

10.1097/MAO.0000000000001589

Cite this

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title = "Electrode impedance fluctuations as a biomarker for inner ear pathology after cochlear implantation",

abstract = "Objectives/Hypothesis: Cochlear implant surgery now aims to preserve residual low frequency hearing. The current research explores whether fluctuations in the electrical impedance of cochlear implant electrodes may act as a biomarker for pathological changes that lead to the delayed loss of residual hearing. Study Design: Secondary analysis of a double-blinded randomized trial, where methylprednisolone was administered intravenously before cochlear implantation with a view to preserving residual hearing. Methods: Seventy-four patients with residual hearing after cochlear implant surgery were investigated for an impedance {"}spike,{"} defined as a median rise of ≥4kΩ across all electrodes from the baseline measurements. Spikes were related to objective and subjective hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus. Results: An impedance spike occurred in 14% (10/74) of enrolled patients. Three months after surgery, five patients exhibited spikes and three of these patients had a total loss of their residual hearing. 4.3% of the 69 patients without spikes lost residual hearing. At 1 year, 9 of 10 patients who exhibited spikes had lost all their residual hearing. 8.1% of the 37 patients who did not experience a spike lost their residual hearing. Seventy percent of patients exhibiting a spike also experienced vertigo. The administration of steroids at the time of surgery did not influence the occurrence of spikes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is a relationship between a spike and the loss of residual hearing. It seems that rises in impedance can reflect pathology within the inner ear and predict the future loss of residual hearing.",

keywords = "Cochlear implant, Impedance, Residual hearing",

author = "June Choi and Payne, {Matthew R.} and Campbell, {Luke J.} and Bester, {Christo W.} and Carrie Newbold and Hayden Eastwood and O'Leary, {Stephen J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Address correspondence and reprint requests to Stephen J. O{\textquoteright}Leary, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Victorian, Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, Melbourne East 3002, Australia; E-mail: [email protected] S.J.O. is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The corresponding author{\textquoteright}s University receives research grants from Cochlear Ltd. This research was conducted at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2017 Otology & Neurotology, Inc.",

year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1097/MAO.0000000000001589",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

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T1 - Electrode impedance fluctuations as a biomarker for inner ear pathology after cochlear implantation

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AU - Payne, Matthew R.

AU - Campbell, Luke J.

AU - Bester, Christo W.

AU - Newbold, Carrie

AU - Eastwood, Hayden

AU - O'Leary, Stephen J.

N1 - Funding Information: Address correspondence and reprint requests to Stephen J. O’Leary, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Victorian, Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, Melbourne East 3002, Australia; E-mail: [email protected] S.J.O. is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The corresponding author’s University receives research grants from Cochlear Ltd. This research was conducted at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). The authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2017 Otology & Neurotology, Inc.

PY - 2017/12/1

Y1 - 2017/12/1

N2 - Objectives/Hypothesis: Cochlear implant surgery now aims to preserve residual low frequency hearing. The current research explores whether fluctuations in the electrical impedance of cochlear implant electrodes may act as a biomarker for pathological changes that lead to the delayed loss of residual hearing. Study Design: Secondary analysis of a double-blinded randomized trial, where methylprednisolone was administered intravenously before cochlear implantation with a view to preserving residual hearing. Methods: Seventy-four patients with residual hearing after cochlear implant surgery were investigated for an impedance "spike," defined as a median rise of ≥4kΩ across all electrodes from the baseline measurements. Spikes were related to objective and subjective hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus. Results: An impedance spike occurred in 14% (10/74) of enrolled patients. Three months after surgery, five patients exhibited spikes and three of these patients had a total loss of their residual hearing. 4.3% of the 69 patients without spikes lost residual hearing. At 1 year, 9 of 10 patients who exhibited spikes had lost all their residual hearing. 8.1% of the 37 patients who did not experience a spike lost their residual hearing. Seventy percent of patients exhibiting a spike also experienced vertigo. The administration of steroids at the time of surgery did not influence the occurrence of spikes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is a relationship between a spike and the loss of residual hearing. It seems that rises in impedance can reflect pathology within the inner ear and predict the future loss of residual hearing.

AB - Objectives/Hypothesis: Cochlear implant surgery now aims to preserve residual low frequency hearing. The current research explores whether fluctuations in the electrical impedance of cochlear implant electrodes may act as a biomarker for pathological changes that lead to the delayed loss of residual hearing. Study Design: Secondary analysis of a double-blinded randomized trial, where methylprednisolone was administered intravenously before cochlear implantation with a view to preserving residual hearing. Methods: Seventy-four patients with residual hearing after cochlear implant surgery were investigated for an impedance "spike," defined as a median rise of ≥4kΩ across all electrodes from the baseline measurements. Spikes were related to objective and subjective hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus. Results: An impedance spike occurred in 14% (10/74) of enrolled patients. Three months after surgery, five patients exhibited spikes and three of these patients had a total loss of their residual hearing. 4.3% of the 69 patients without spikes lost residual hearing. At 1 year, 9 of 10 patients who exhibited spikes had lost all their residual hearing. 8.1% of the 37 patients who did not experience a spike lost their residual hearing. Seventy percent of patients exhibiting a spike also experienced vertigo. The administration of steroids at the time of surgery did not influence the occurrence of spikes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is a relationship between a spike and the loss of residual hearing. It seems that rises in impedance can reflect pathology within the inner ear and predict the future loss of residual hearing.

KW - Cochlear implant

KW - Impedance

KW - Residual hearing

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ER -

Electrode impedance fluctuations as a biomarker for inner ear pathology after cochlear implantation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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