Comparison of the Implantability of Electronic Hearing Devices in a Virtual Reality Planning Environment and in Human Temporal Bones

Objective: To develop a procedure using a virtual reality (VR) environment that permitted us to simulate the preoperative fitting of an electronic implantable hearing device (IHD) and assess its implantability.

Material And Methods: This was an experimental, prospective study based on VR simulations involving the pre- and postoperative comparison of the implantability of an IHD. The preoperative possibility of implanting an IHD in a VR environment was compared with the postoperative implantability of the device in the temporal bones of human cadavers and patients. Study groups were analyzed according to the criteria "VR implantation" and "real surgery" using contingency tables.

Results: A computer simulation method based on CT images was developed for the preoperative planning of the implantation. The VR simulation proved feasible in all cases (15 temporal bones and 24 patients). There was no significant difference between the process of implanting the IHD in patients or in the VR environment. These results indicate that VR-based test fittings of an IHD allow prediction of the implantability of an IHD prior to actual surgery.

Conclusion: We have described the development of a novel VR procedure for predicting the implantability of hearing devices in otoneurosurgical applications. The VR procedure can be applied universally and may also be used for other parts of the body.