Cochlear Limited

About: Cochlear Limited is a company organization based out in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cochlear implant & Hearing loss. The organization has 1290 authors who have published 1479 publications receiving 33109 citations. The organization is also known as: кохлеарные Americas & COCHLEAR LIMITED.

Vestibular and Balance Impairment Contributes to Cochlear Implant Failure in Children.

Abstract: Objective To determine the role of vestibular and balance dysfunction in children with cochlear implant (CI) failure. Study design Retrospective case review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Thirty-five children with CI failure were compared to 165 children who did not experience CI failure. Main outcome measures Vestibular function was compared between groups by horizontal canal function (measured by caloric, rotational, video Head Impulse Testing [vHIT]), saccular function (vestibular evoked myogenic potentials [VEMP]), and balance (measured by Bruininks-Oseretsky Test [BOT-2]). Results Twenty-one patients completed vestibular and balance testing. Patients with CI failure demonstrated significantly more abnormal horizontal canal function than those who did not experience CI failure (caloric: 81 vs. 47%, p = 0.004; rotational/vHIT: 71 vs. 35%, p = 0.001). Absence of bilateral horizontal canal function increased the odds of CI failure 7.6 times. A greater proportion of children with CI failure had abnormal saccular function compared to those without CI failure (81 vs. 46%, p = 0.003). Children with CI failure had significantly worse balance (BOT-2 score: 7.8) than children who did not experience CI failure (BOT-2 score: 12.2) (p Conclusions Vestibular end-organ dysfunction and its resulting balance impairment have been identified as important risk factors for CI failure in children. Early identification and treatment of such impairments may avoid or delay implant failures and prevent children from experiencing periods of sound deprivation that could impact speech and language acquisition.

Method of fabricating an array of recessed radially oriented bipolar electrodes

Abstract: An array of electrodes, suitable for use as an auditory prosthesis, and a method for fabricating such an array, are disclosed. The array includes an electrode body formed from an electrically insulating flexible material, preferably at least one annulus of an electrically insulating flexible material which is formed separately from the body and adhered thereto, at least one electrode positioned concentrically about each of the at least one annulus or electrode body, with the surface of each electrode being recessed and being exposed.

Postural stability and visual impairment: Assessing balance in children with strabismus and amblyopia

Abstract: Background Vision plays an important role in controlling posture and balance in children. Reduced postural control has been reported in children with strabismus, but little has been reported specifically in amblyopia. Objective To investigate whether children with amblyopia have reduced balance compared to both children with strabismus without amblyopia and healthy controls. Study design and methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 56 patients and healthy controls were recruited from the Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology Clinics at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Participants were divided into three groups: (1) 18 with unilateral amblyopia (strabismic amblyopia or mixed mechanism); (2) 16 with strabismus only without amblyopia; and (3) 22 visually-normal controls. The primary outcome was the balance performance as measured by the balance subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 [BOT2]. Results The age and gender-adjusted BOT2 balance scores were significantly reduced in the amblyopia group (mean score 9.0 ± 3.1 SD) and the strabismus without amblyopia group (mean score 8.6 ± 2.4 SD) compared to visually normal controls (mean score 18.9 ± 4.2) (p<0.0001), but no statistical difference was demonstrated between the two patient groups (p = 0.907). Further subgroup analysis of the strabismus only group did not reveal a statistically significant difference in performance on BOT2 balance score between strabismus only patients with good stereopsis 60 sec or better (BOT2 mean score 9.8±3.0 SD) to patients with 3000 sec or no stereopsis (BOT2 mean score 7.9±1.7) (p = 0.144). Conclusion Our findings suggest that normal vision plays an important role in the development and maintenance of balance control. When normal binocular vision is disrupted in childhood in strabismus and/or amblyopia, not only is the vision affected, but balance is also reduced. Our results indicate that the presence of even mild binocular discordance/dysfunction (patients with intermittent strabismus and good stereopsis) may lead to postural instability.

Multiple battery management system

Abstract: A power management system for a power supply ( 43 ) providing power to electrical equipment, such as a totally implantable prosthetic hearing implant ( 40 ). The power supply ( 43 ) can comprise a first rechargeable battery and at least one further rechargeable battery that each independently provide power to the implant ( 40 ) through a switching means. The management system comprises a management means for controlling the operation of the switching means to place the system in a first state where the implant ( 40 ) can draw power from only the first battery or at least in a further state where the implant ( 40 ) can draw power from only said at least one further battery.

Facial nerve stimulation after cochlear implantation: our experience.

Abstract: Post-implantation facial nerve stimulation is one of the best known and most frequent complications of the cochlear implant procedure. Some conditions, such as otosclerosis and cochlear malformations, as well as high stimulation levels that may be necessary in patients with long auditory deprivation, expose patients to a higher risk of developing post-implant facial nerve stimulation. Facial nerve stimulation can frequently be resolved with minimal changes in speech processor fitting but, in some cases, this can lead to a reduction in the outcome. A retrospective review has been made of the clinical features of 11 patients (out of 119 patients consecutively implanted, from 1999 to 2007, at the ENT Clinic of the University of Pisa) who developed post-implantation facial nerve stimulation.