Profound bilateral retrocochlear deafness cannot respond to a cochlear
implant. For such patients only electrical stimulation of the cochlea
r nucleus complex can achieve, at best, a partial restoration of heari
ng. Based on the experience of the W.F. House group at the House Ear I
nstitute in Los Angeles, we have developed an implantable device with
many surface electrodes. A personal study has enabled us to establish
the main relationships of the nucleus with the aim of inserting the de
vice in contact with it, and to verify its effectiveness in the region
. Histological study of anatomic specimens has shown the presence of s
pheroid neurone, considered to be the secondary neurone of the auditor
y pathway, at the level of the area of implantation.