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Abstract
Objective
Electrode impedances play a critical role in cochlear implant programming. It has been previously shown that impedances rise during periods of non-use, such as the post-operative recovery period. Then when the device is activated and use is initiated, impedances fall and are typically stable. In this study, we report a new pattern where electrode impedances increase with device use and decrease with device rest.
Design
Electrode impedances were measured three to four times every day over a span of 1–3 months for two cochlear implant patients.
Study sample
Two patients with a Nucleus cochlear implant participated in this study.
Results
Both subjects in this study show wide fluctuations in electrode impedances. By taking serial electrode impedance measurements throughout a day of use, we observe that electrode impedances consistently increase with device use and decrease with device rest.
Conclusion
In this study, we report two cases of electrode impedances increasing as a function of device use. Numerous management strategies were employed to reduce this effect but none prevailed; a clear pathophysiologic mechanism remains elusive. Further study into the cause of this electrode impedance pattern is warranted to establish a management strategy for these cochlear implant users.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank our patients who invested their time and effort in generating such a detailed time series of electrode impedances. We are grateful to Dr. Jillian Crosson from Cochlear Americas for providing the equipment to perform these measurements.
Disclosure statement
Dr. Aniket A. Saoji is a consultant for Advanced Bionics and Envoy Medical. Dr. Colin L W Driscoll is a consultant for Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Corporation and Envoy Medical.
Institutional review board approval
This study was approved by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board (#19-005759).