electrode failures (electrode migration, misplacement, etc.,)

[Mary Beth]

@jamesluk

Hi!  Just checking in to see if you have had your reimplant activated yet.  We are rooting for you.  Keep us posted and wishing you the best!

[jamesluk]

I replied to Nikki's post.

[Mary Beth]

@jamesluk

Sorry I must have missed it.  I hope it went well.

[Hila]

Hi @Mary Beth  

At this point of my journey I realize how individual and different everyone's experience may be.  I had the same surgery in the very same ear and so far  there was nothing in common between those experiences! 

With that said,  I always been interested in other's experiences and I find comfort in sharing tips and stories.  Thank you all for commenting and supporting always.  

I would love to hear from anyone with revision  surgery.  I will keep you guys posted as I go. I know it takes long to actually know how it goes.  This is what I understand from Jamesluk in the message he sent in reply to mine.  It'll take about a year to find out how it went. I totally get that now I'm back to square one and only time will tell the benefit of the current revision surgery.  I'm hopeful and stoked and ready to train a lot and I hope it'll all work out at the end. 

Best wishes to everyone on this road,  whether it's your second or first ?

 

 

[Hila]

Revision surgery,  activation went well.   Today was my activation.  Those of you who follow my journey know I had revision surgery on effort to help with speech perception and sound quality.   The activation went well and all the electrodes made actual sound.  I got a couple of MAPS to work through in the next few weeks.  A long road ahead,  but there is light at the end of the tunnel.   Things sound comfortable.  Sounds odd but understandable. I'm very pleased.   Hope everyone have excellent 2018 with great hearing moments.

[Mary Beth]

@Nikki is on her way!  Great news!

[Cara Mia]

So glad for you, Nikki! It is so exciting, like a new life has started!

[Hila]

 true,  Cara Mia, wonderful new opportunity.   Thank you ?

[Jdashiell]

On 1/16/2018 at 2:52 PM, Nikki said:

Revision surgery,  activation went well.   Today was my activation.  Those of you who follow my journey know I had revision surgery on effort to help with speech perception and sound quality.   The activation went well and all the electrodes made actual sound.  I got a couple of MAPS to work through in the next few weeks.  A long road ahead,  but there is light at the end of the tunnel.   Things sound comfortable.  Sounds odd but understandable. I'm very pleased.   Hope everyone have excellent 2018 with great hearing moments.

I too am very happy to hear this news. Best of luck moving forward, you certainly have earned a good experience going forward.

[hadron]

Another one whom is very glad to hear this news.

[Adam]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I’m sure that is such a relief. Very glad to hear it

[Kara of Canada]

Welcome back @Adam

[Hila]

Yes, @Adam you got it just right.   Relieved it worked,  and it is such a relief every minute of the day, when I don't have to struggle so much to hear!  Life is good! 

Thank you @hadronfor your kind words

[Adam]

Sort of Cara, I’m actually in the ER right now.?

[Hila]

Oh, no... hope you feel better soon @Adam

[Mary Beth]

@Adam

Sure hope things work out soon for you.  Wishing you the best.

[hadron]

@Nikki you are very welcome. Look forward to your progress.

@Adam best wishes.

[Jdashiell]

Yes @Adam hope you are felling better soon

 

[Jdashiell]

On 8/5/2017 at 10:04 PM, hadron said:

The scala tympani is the ideal place for electrode array insertion. The Round Window is an important landmark and is rarely absent. Failure to identify the round window can result in inadvertent misplacement of the electrode array into the scala vestibule or entirely outside the turns of the cochlea. Locations of inadvertent misplacement of the electrode array include the semi circular canals, vestibule, Eustachian tube and the interior auditory canal.

For @jamesluk the electrode array was mispositioned and electrodes 11 and 12 were entirely outside the turns of the cochlea and far from the neurons they needed to interact with to understand speech. Electrodes 1-10 were inside the cochlea but electrodes 11 and 12 may of fractured off. With revision surgery a more experienced surgeon fully inserted the electrode array into the scala tympani.

In @Nikki the electrode array was also mispositioned with at least 3 electrodes entirely outside the turns of the cochlea. The rest of the electrodes are partially in the cochlea with none past the first curve. As in the previous case  the electrodes ended up far from the neurons they needed to interact with to understand speech. This sounds very similar to Jamesluk where the distal part of the electrode array may have fractured off leading to mispositioning.

In  @Jdashiell the electrode array was probably inserted into the scala tympani but it did a tip flip, which essentially means it folded over itself. Thus only half the electrodes were inserted. Unfortunately it appears this happened twice. May be due to inexperience of surgeon.

I have been told by surgeon that there is likely an anatomical obstruction blocking the insertion of the electrode array into the cochlea. Further research reading indicates this is likely a bony blockage. 

MedEl has created an implant tool that replaces the electrodes with stiffening wires to push past the blockage. That will be removed and a regular implant electrode array will be inserted 

surgery date is now March 13, 2018.

[Hila]

Rooting for you @Jdashiell

I know it's not easy right now but keep your eye on the prize.   You know how good it is.  Keep me posted

[Mary Beth]

I love how Med-El is willing to design tools and custom electrode arrays for unique situations.

 

Wishing you the absolute best on March 13th @Jdashiell!

[Cara Mia]

@Jdashiell, good luck on March 13th! This time it should be a complete success. Wish you the best!

[Kara of Canada]

I’ll be in your cheering section too. As well as @Dave and I are being implanted in March. 

[Dave in Pittsburgh]

 Hi Kara

Howxare you doing.?

Thanks for the cheering yes my day is March 22 and yours is?

I been wanting to asked but I have been busy with other things including shoveling ❄️ ? UGH

i know your not a NHL fan but my friend has been inviting me to some Pittsburgh Penguins games he has season tickets and his wife couldn’t go to a few games so I become his date

 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Dave on March 22

@Jdashiell on March 13

@Kara of Canada on March ?

 

Wishing you all the very best!