LM406 - Clinical Application of Otoplan and Anatomy-Based Fitting: Patients’ Experiences with Anatomy-Based Maps, Including Video of Candid Feedback

Abstract:
Otoplan and Anatomy Based Fitting offer cochlear implant centers improvement in clinic efficiency and mapping techniques that represent anatomical placement of electrodes. Otoplan gives surgeons the ability to select a cochlear implant electrode length that matches a candidate's cochlear duct length, reducing superfluous electrode ordering and shipping. Anatomy Based Fitting offers patients sound quality that reflects the anatomical placement of the electrode. This presentation will follow the experience of five recipients, including pre-operative Otoplans and clinic video of recipients' candid feedback of their experiences hearing with their anatomy-based maps.

Summary:
The development of new imaging techniques has offered unique and clear representations of the cochlea, identifying cochlear structures with significantly better clarity. Using artificial intelligence paired with imaging offers cochlear implant surgeons the ability to precisely measure a patient's cochlear duct length, thus confidently ordering a single cochlear implant electrode length instead of multiple electrodes only to send the unused ones back to the manufacturer, improving efficiency for clinics and hospitals while reducing impact on manufacturer supplies and costs. A cochlear implant electrode that penetrates the apex of the cochlea allows recipients to access low frequency sounds that improves the sound quality of their cochlear implant, reportedly more like natural hearing. Pairing the deeper penetration of a cochlear implant with anatomy based fitting mapping algorithm may affect the recipient's sound perception. Existing cochlear implant recipients are also candidates to use anatomy based maps after imaging the placement of their cochlear implant. This presentation will review the impact of using Otoplan on one cochlear implant center to select cochlear implant electrodes and will also follow five cochlear implant recipients' experiences hearing with maps using an anatomy based fitting algorithm. As routine practice, the clinic records all appointments. These recordings will be presented, offering candid feedback of patients' experiences hearing with their anatomy based maps. Four of the five patients are adults, two of whom have single-sided deafness acquired as adults while the other two are bilateral cochlear implant recipients. The fifth patient is a teenager who was implanted at age 4 following a diagnosis of progressive hearing loss secondary to cytomegalovirus. Two of the adults have bilateral cochlear implants and have historically been difficult to fit, largely because of the inability to obtain objective eSRT and who have perpetually complained about poor sound quality. Three of the four adults note an improvement in hearing, two of whom note a delayed recognition of improvement. One of the difficult-to-fit adults noted an immediate improvement in sound quality and significantly reduced his demand on the clinic schedule. The other difficult-to-fit adult immediately reported a significant decrease in sound quality and stopped using the anatomy-based maps after one month of poor habituation. The teen, who has 10 years of experience hearing with a cochlear implant, immediately noted the low-frequency change to her cochlear implant sound quality. Otoplan and anatomy-based mapping is a new tool that offers clinics the ability to customize cochlear implant electrodes and mapping based on the individual's unique anatomy. Attendees will be able to understand the impact of Otoplan and anatomy-based mapping on their clinical practice.

Brief Summary of Clinical Takeaways:
Attendees will learn how Otoplan can help them identify their patients' specific cochlear duct lengths, thus allowing them to order a single cochlear implant electrode length that is customized to the patient's cochlea. Attendees will follow clinical experiences of cochlear implant recipients' hearing using anatomy based maps, including clinic video.