Current or voltage retention

[David]

Do Flex electrode arrays or Synchrony implants retain current and/or voltage after a Sonnet 1 processor is removed? If so, how long does it take for total discharge?

Thank you.

[Anthony Canada]

@David The Synchrony 2 has a capacitor per electrode channel so each electrode is discharged after firing. With over 50K pulses per second I don't think you are fast enough to take it off an electrode discharges but if you were that fast you would only have stored potential on one electrode. I don't know about the Synchrony 1 implant but I'm sure Med-El can help with the technical specs. 

[Mary Beth]

@David

check out how the electrical current is managed in our Med-El CIs here 

https://blog.medel.pro/audiology/safety-capacitors-reliability/

[David]

@Anthony Canada@Mary Beth

Thanks for your replies, and Happy Holidays.

I understood the electrode capacitance technology before receiving my bilateral implants (2015 and 2017).

I'm trying to specifically determine if it is possible for trace current or voltage to be retained after removing the processor, and this information is not available on Med-El's Pro site. I'll followup with my clinic, have them contact Med-El, and post updates I receive.

Edited December 24, 2023 by David
Change 2005 TO 2015

[John Schulz]

What's the purpose behind this inquiry? 

[David]

@John Schulz

One of several possibilities I discussed with the surgeon who performed several procedures for unresolved debilitating pain since having my 2017 implant procedure.

[John Schulz]

Where is the pain located? I don't think the hypothesis of the pain being caused by stored charge in an electrode capacitor has much merit.  Our nerves are not particularly good conductors of electricity and capacitors naturally drain due to internal resistance. If there somehow was a voltage differential that was causing the pain, it could only last for a second at the absolute most? More likely in the order of milliseconds. I would be very surprised if this was the source of it.

[Mary Beth]

@David

I read a report from a user who had a reaction to the titanium implant and had to have it replaced with an older model that is ceramic.  Just sharing in case this is something you wish to discuss with your surgeon.  Sorry to hear of your pain.

[David]

@John Schulz

I agree with you. The second surgeon suggested this as one of multiple possible causes.

Edited December 23, 2023 by David
Modified

[David]

@Mary Beth

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Mary Beth]

@David

you are welcome.  The only other issue I have read about is an infection on the internal component.  Some kind of biofilm.  That is only confirmed via a biopsy swap taken from the internal.  Sometimes that can be treated with strong antibiotics once the type of infection is known.

[David]

@Mary Beth

Issues following my 2017 implant procedure were surgical and remain unresolved, despite three additional procedures performed by a different top-notch surgeon with an outstanding reputation. The specifics shouldn't be presented in this type of forum, however let me emphasize none of the issues were related to Med-El's products, and their support has been exemplary.

Best wishes for a happy new year, and many thanks for your feedback.

[David]

@John Schulz

As suspected, capacitor retention is not the cause.

[Esteban]

Hello, this is the first time that I have read a case of pain with MEDEL implants. I personally saw a case of pain with another brand's implants in a friend of mine and he had to have it removed through surgery. The only thing left was the chain of electrodes inside the cochlea, given that if it were removed completely, there would be a risk of intra-cochlear calcification and would not allow the entry of a new implant into the organ. Once that problematic implant was removed, the pain disappeared, it was seen that the cause was a skin infection around the magnet, which over time evolved into the other surrounding tissues. The patient progressed positively with treatment based on specific antibiotics (there was microbial resistance) and for two weeks, she could not wash her hair. In the event that the pain was more internal, I don't think it is due to capacitors because they discharge very quickly. And I answer a forum member: nerves are conductors of electricity.

[David]

@Esteban

I was investigating possible reasons for long-term pain following a 2017 Synchrony with Flex 28 electrode array implant procedure. Capacitor retention was a possibility and discounted, as noted above.

There are no MED-EL hardware issues. All, or part, of the cause was an inadvertent surgical incision in a membrane covering the facial nerve known as facial nerve dehiscence.