Brkic Faris F, Umihanic Sekib, Harcinovic Alen, Piric Lejla, Brkic Fuad
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
J Clin Med. 2020 Feb 13;9(2):506. doi: 10.3390/jcm9020506.
Measurements of electrode impedance values are routinely performed after cochlear implantation. The primary objective of the study was to determine if pediatric, prelingually deafened patients with different postoperative performances showed significantly different impedance values one year after implantation.
This study comprised 42 pediatric cochlear implant recipients provided with the device in a single academic tertiary referral center between 1 January 2000, and 31 December 2016. Medical chart analysis was performed in order to assess evolution of impedance values during the first postoperative year on a monthly basis. Electrode impedance values measurements one year postoperatively were compared between children with successful and unsuccessful auditory and language skills development assessed using the EARS protocol (a name of a performance test). Furthermore, values were compared among recipients of different implant types and among different cochlear segments.
A gradual rise of average impedance values was found during the first months of implant use (1st month, 7.32 kΩ; 3rd month, 7.86 kΩ) with the peak at the 4th postoperative month (7.96 kΩ), followed by a gradual decrease towards the 12th month (6th month, 7.62 kΩ; 12th month, 6.86 kΩ). Lower values at the 12th postoperative month were observed in recipients with successful development compared to patients presented with unsuccessful development (6.22 kΩ vs. 7.82 kΩ; = 0.001). Mean impedance values were different when compared among cochlear segments and among different implant types.
High electrode impedance values one year after implantation in pediatric patients may imply insufficient auditory and language skills development. Further studies are needed in order to validate our results.
人工耳蜗植入术后通常会进行电极阻抗值测量。本研究的主要目的是确定植入一年后，不同术后表现的儿童先天性耳聋患者的阻抗值是否存在显著差异。
本研究纳入了2000年1月1日至2016年12月31日期间在一家学术性三级转诊中心接受人工耳蜗植入的42名儿童患者。进行病历分析以评估术后第一年每月阻抗值的变化情况。使用EARS方案（一种性能测试的名称）评估听觉和语言技能发展成功与不成功的儿童，比较术后一年的电极阻抗值测量结果。此外，还比较了不同植入类型的接受者以及不同耳蜗节段之间的值。
在植入使用的最初几个月中，平均阻抗值逐渐上升（第1个月，7.32 kΩ；第3个月，7.86 kΩ），在术后第4个月达到峰值（7.96 kΩ），随后逐渐下降至第12个月（第6个月，7.62 kΩ；第12个月，6.86 kΩ）。与发育不成功的患者相比，发育成功的接受者在术后第12个月的阻抗值更低（6.22 kΩ对7.82 kΩ；P = 0.001）。耳蜗节段之间以及不同植入类型之间的平均阻抗值存在差异。
小儿患者植入一年后电极阻抗值较高可能意味着听觉和语言技能发展不足。需要进一步研究以验证我们的结果。
