FLEX Electrodes: Design Matters for Atraumaticity and Hearing Preservation

By Darla Franz   The US Food and Drug Administration approved new FLEX24 and FLEX28 electrode arrays from worldwide hearing implant manufacturer MED-EL earlier this year for use with its MAESTRO Cochlear Implant System. The first US patients began taking advantage of this new technology in July. Does electrode length really matter when it comes to cochlear implants? And does electrode design make a difference when it comes to atraumaticity and preservation of residual hearing? Research tells us they do.   The FLEX28 array is 28 mm in length and enables implantation in 96 percent of all typical cochlear anatomies, allowing for complete cochlear coverage. The FLEX24 electrode incorporates the same design criteria with a 24-mm insertion length for situations where a FLEX28 electrode insertion might not be achieved or desired.   The FLEX electrode is designed to be soft for surgical insertion into the cochlea with minimal trauma or damage to the delicate structures and tiny hair cells of the inner ear. The new FLEX arrays incorporate FLEX-Tip technology, with the apical portion of the array thinner and more flexible than before to reduce implantation and explanation trauma. The thin diameter and flexibility was achieved in part by changing the electrode contacts in that portion of the array.    The device still offers the same number of channels as previous designs, and the first seven most basal channels continue to be represented by paired contacts, but the five m...
Source: R&D Blog - Category: ENT & OMF Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs