Electrode impedance with and without electrode positioner in Clarion device

Abstract

The Clarion cochlear implant system was at first approved with the electrode positioning system (EPS). The Clarion electrode array is originally pre-curved in shape and, in addition, EPS is to move the array closer to the medial wall in the scala tympani. It is theoretically advantageous that the implanted electrodes are as close as possible to the modiolus. Recently in Europe, a number of infants who had undergone cochlear implantation using the Clarion EPS suffered from meningitis and unfortunately some of them died. No one can prove whether the EPS had a direct relation with meningitis after implantation or not, but we have performed cochlear implantation without EPS to reduce the adverse incidences.