Contour Advance™

The design

The Contour Advance™ perimodiolar electrode with the AOS™ technique was designed for atraumatic scala tympani insertion

New Clinical Evidence Confirms the Importance of Perimodiolar Electrodes Download brochure

The evidence

Independent, peer reviewed, published articles indicate that Cochlear succeeded in meeting these design goals1,2

Download the Summaries of the Reviews:

1. Scala Tympani Cochleostomy I: Results of a Survey Laryngoscope, 2007
2. Quality Control After Insertion of the Nucleus Contour and Contour Advance Electrode in Adults, 2007
3. Cochleostomy site: Implications for electrode placement and hearing preservation, 2005
4. Residual Hearing Conservation and Electroacoustic Stimulation with the Nucleus 24 Contour Advance Cochlear Implant, 2006
5. A Model for Cochlear Implant Electrode Insertion and Force Evaluation: Results with a New Electrode Design and Insertion Technique, 2005
6. In Vivo Estimates Of The Position Of Advanced Bionics’ Electrode Arrays In The Human Cochlea, 2007

The result

The evidence shows that recipients with electrodes in the scala tympani have:

• Less trauma to the micro structures of the cochlea1
• Improved speech perception performance3,4,5

Best practices for ensuring scala tympani insertions are:

• Proper cochleostomy placement
• Perimodiolar electrode array & AOS surgical technique

The Contour Advance perimodiolar array inserted with AOS maximizes the chance of a proper scala tympani insertion. Made available to you exclusively by Cochlear.

• View narrated 3D animation of AOS technique
• View instructional video on advanced CI surgical technique
  • Dr. Robert Briggs (AU) 6:30
  • Dr. J. Thomas Roland Jr. (US) 4:38
  • Bone Fluoroscopy
    Dr. Robert Briggs (AU) 0:54
• Contour Advance Photo Gallery

Contour Advance™ — Right electrode. Right placement. Right result.

The scala tympani is the optimum place for the cochlear implant electrode array to stimulate the spiral ganglion cells. It is widely believed that scala tympani insertions result in better insertion safety and more effective nerve stimulation. By choosing Cochlear’s Freedom implant with the Contour Advance™ Electrode, and inserting with the Advance Off-Stylet™ (AOS) electrode insertion technique, you will maximize the chance of a proper scala tympani electrode placement, an atraumatic surgery, and ultimately achieving the best patient outcomes. Preservation of cochlear structures is widely believed to be important in conservation of residual hearing.

This picture of the Contour Advance™ Electrode inserted in the scala tympani shows excellent preservation of all structures and ideal perimodiolar electrode positioning.

References:

1. Roland, JT Jr. A Model for Cochlear Implant Electrode Insertion and Force Evaluation: Results with a New Electrode Design and Insertion Technique. Laryngoscope, 115: August 2005
2. Briggs et al. Cochleostomy Site: Implications for Electrode Placement and Hearing Preservation. Acta Oto-Laryngologica, 125:870-876,2005
3. Aschendorff A, Kromeier J, Klenzner T, and Laszig R. Quality Control After Insertion of the Nucleus Contour and Contour Advance Electrode in Adults. Ear & Hearing, 28:75S-79S, 2007.
4. Skinner MW, et al. In Vivo Estimates of the Position of Advanced Bionics electrode Arrays in the Human Cochlea. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2007;116(4) Suppl 197:1-24.
5. Fraysse et al. Residual Hearing Conservation and Electroacoustic Stimulation with the Nucleus 24 Contour Advance Cochlear Implant. Otology & Neurotology, 27:624-633, 2006.