As the field of cochlear implants continues to advance, researchers and clinicians are increasingly focused on understanding the factors that influence performance outcomes. One critical area of investigation centers around electrode selection and the impact of electrode positioning within the cochlea on both short- and long-term results.

Recent trends in cochlear implant technology have introduced innovative approaches to reduce trauma during electrode insertion. These include techniques such as electrocochleography (ECochG), robotic-assisted insertion, drug delivery systems, and long-term histological studies of the cochlea.

Please take a moment to read this article which delves into the multifaceted impact of electrode insertion and positioning on cochlear health. Specifically, it explores how perimodiolar electrode placement can contribute to a lifetime of improved hearing performance.

Introducing Custom Sound® 5.2

September 23, 2019

By Kyle Longwell, Product Manager – Software and Clinical Care

Cochlear is excited to announce the availability of Custom Sound® Suite 5.2 which will allow for expanded features in the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 sound processor.

Custom Sound 5.2 requires a database change and may require assistance from your IT department. So, in order to assist you and IT, we are offering software support sessions which are available through your Cochlear representative.

If you are ready to get started, the download link for Custom Sound 5.2 software can be found in the installation instructions located in the “Software Support” resource section of myCochlear Clinic.

It will be important to upgrade your fitting software in order to update the firmware on Nucleus 7 sound processors enabling access to Android direct streaming*.

What’s New in Custom Sound 5.2?

• Direct Android streaming
First for iPhone®. First for Android. Cochlear implant recipients with the Nucleus 7 sound processor and a compatible Android device* will be able stream audio directly to their Nucleus 7 processor without the need for the Cochlear Phone Clip.

A firmware update to the Nucleus 7 sound processor is required. The firmware update is delivered by connecting the sound processor to Custom Sound 5.2. Additionally, Nucleus 7 users will also need to update their Nucleus Smart App and make sure their compatible Android device has the Android 10.0 (Q) operating system.

• Nucleus Profile™ Plus implant compatibility
The new Nucleus Profile Plus implant offers patients access to 3.0 and 1.5 Tesla (T) MRI scans without the need for a head wrap or internal magnet removal.¹ Note that if you had previously entered the Nucleus Profile Plus implant Key into Custom Sound 5.1, you will not be required to enter the Key again, it will be accessible after upgrading to Custom Sound 5.2.

therwise, in order to program patients you will need to input the Authorization Key enabling access to this new implant in Custom Sound 5.2. To obtain the Key please reach out to your local Cochlear Americas representative or access instructions in the “Software Support” resource section of myCochlear Clinic.

Upon connecting the sound processor, a message will appear to remind you to use the correct magnet for the Nucleus Profile Plus implant.

• Other New Features
–Auto Pulse Width feature provides options for clinicians to automatically widen the pulse width on all channels and bring them back into compliance. This feature applies to all Nucleus 24, Freedom® and Profile series implants except for the Auditory Brainstem Implants (ABI124M and ABI541).

-The new software Auto-Update feature introduces a simplified way to roll out certain Custom Sound updates via the internet (i.e. when service release updates are needed to address minor bug fixes).

Download the new Custom Sound 5.2 software to enable your patients access to expanded connectivity offerings!

References:

1. MRI Guidelines D774756.

*The Cochlear Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with Apple and Android devices, for compatibility information visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility.

The Cochlear Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Apple, the Apple logo, FaceTime, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Android and Google Play are registered trademarks of Google Inc.
The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

The Cochlear Nucleus Smart App is available on App Store and Google Play. For complete smartphone compatibility information, please visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility.

5 reliability reporting considerations

August 11, 2021

By Ryan Lopez, Director of Nucleus® Product Management & Marketing

With more than two decades of reporting on reliability, cochlear implants have set the bar high, and the data and information can be interpreted in different ways. Having access to and understanding the complete data and information is important. Transparency in reporting and the importance of reliability over time, to name a few, help patients and professionals have access to the full picture of implant reliability.

Here are 5 things to remember when reading a Reliability Report:

All implant generations are reported

Are all device generations represented and how many years from each generation are being reported?

Total number of registered devices over time

Are the number of implants included for each of those generations?

Reports reliability by children and adult

Does the report separate out pediatrics versus adult?

Cumulative survival rate and device removals

In addition to our standard report, in 2019 Cochlear was the first to comply with an industry-driven partnership that developed reporting guidelines compliant with ANSI/AAMI standards. As a result, our reporting has further increased in transparency in implant reliability reporting based on Cumulative Survival Rate (Cochlear Annual Report) and implant reliability report based on device removals (ANSI/AAMI Report).

External reliability

Does the report include sound processor reliability reporting in addition to implant reliability?

Read the 2021 Reliability Report now!

Science Spotlight: Electrode Insertion and Positioning

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