Various attempts have been made to evaluate the dimensions of the cochlea related to cochlear implantation. Little attention was paid to the distinct narrowing of the scala tympani in the region of the ascending part of the cochlear duct, although from the literature, it is known that electrode insertion trauma frequently occurs here. Individual variations of the cochlear micromorphology may additionally contribute to the failure of preformed electrode arrays, but the challenge of guiding the electrode array around the first bend of the cochlear turn, that is, the pars ascendens, is obviously impaired by the interindividually constant narrowing in this area. Therefore, this finding may have implications on the development of electrode designs and insertion methods.
The number of human cochlear turns shows a higher variance than is represented in literature. Cases with up to 3 turns can be regarded as upper limit of the normal range. This finding may carry further implications for cochlear implantation to focus on the development of individually shaped electrode carriers and stimulation strategies.
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