Cochlear Implantation Assisted by Noninvasive Image Guidance

Objective: We recently developed a new noninvasive registration method for image-guided otologic surgery (STAMP method). We investigated the benefit and potential drawback of our new method in clinical application and tested the feasibility of routine image-guided surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary referral university hospital.

Patients: Forty-six cases (45 patients) that underwent cochlear implantation in Kyushu University Hospital during the period of 2007 and 2010 were informed of the option to use navigated surgery.

Intervention: Twenty-five cochlear implantations were performed using STAMP-registered image-guided surgery.

Main Outcome Measure: The error of image-guided surgery and time of surgery were collected and analyzed.

Results: STAMP method offered serviceable accuracy in 18/25 cochlear implantations. The learning curve suggested that the accuracy is at least stabilizing, if not improving, and the success rate is expected to rise. Time of cochlear implant surgery was not significantly extended by the use of image guidance.

Conclusion: STAMP method had comparable errors with minimal invasiveness. Our new method potentially enables routine use of image-guided surgery.