Indications for Surgery: Diseases that damage the inner ear and the auditory nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain (such as Neurofibromatosis Type II in which bilateral acoustic neuromas are present) require a novel solution to provide hearing. In this procedure and with this device, the hearing pathway is stimulated electrically at its connection to the brain.

Anesthesia: General

Surgical Time: 1 hour

Hospital Admission: yes

Surgical Procedure: The device (very similar to a cochlear implant) is placed under the skin behind and above the ear. An electrode is placed through the inner ear and connected to the auditory nucleus on the portion of the brainstem where the hearing nerve connects from the inner ear. This procedure is usually done in conjunction with a translabyrinthine approach for acoustic tumor removal and the closure is accomplished in the same fashion. The device is turned on 1 month after placement and tuned individually for each patient.

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