Comparison of pediatric Clarion recipients with and without the electrode positioner

Objective: To compare surgical experience and measures of electrode and pat ient performance of children who were implanted with the Clarion (Advanced Bionics, Sylmar, CA, U.S.A.) device with and without the new electrode posi tioner (EP). Study Design: Prospectively and retrospectively collected data were compare d between two independent groups. Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital. Patients: Twenty-four children (mean age, 3.0 years) implanted during the o riginal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trial required for comm ercial approval of the Clarion and 15 children (mean age, 3.4 years) implan ted with the EP as part of an ongoing FDA trial. Intervention: Cochlear implant with and without EP. Main Outcome Measures: Electrical psychophysical threshold, most comfortabl e loudness level (MCL), electrode impedance, and speech perception measures were compared at 3 and 6 months after initial stimulation. Results and Conclusion: All children had complete insertion of electrodes. No difficulty inserting the EP occurred nor did subsequent related complica tions. Subjects with the EP had significantly lower threshold and MCL level s. Electrode impedance declined on stimulated electrodes in both groups. Me aningful Auditory Integration Scale scores significantly improved in both g roups; the EP group appeared to receive as much benefit as the non-EP group . Key Words: Cochlear implant-Electrode positioner.