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Evaluation of a minimally invasive surgical fixation technique for young children with the Concerto Pin cochlear implant system

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In 2011, Med-El (Innsbruck, Austria) introduced a new cochlear implant system, designed to require a minimally invasive surgical technique and allow greater positional flexibility for its fixation on the skull. The Concerto Pin implant system is a good option for patients with thinner bone, such as children and elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the implant’s stability in children using our minimally invasive surgical technique. This was a prospective, longitudinal study with a single-subject, repeated-examination design. Six children, implanted with a Concerto Pin using our minimally invasive surgical technique between October 2011 and September 2012, were assessed 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. In each case, the implant remained in a stable position and no adverse events or problems with healing were observed at any time during the investigation. The minimally invasive technique and the method of implant fixation that bypass drilling a deep implant bed constitute a good option for patients with thinner bone, such as children. This clinical study shows the safety and stability of the Concerto Pin implant system using a minimally invasive surgical technique.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that the manuscript has not been published previously or under review by another journal. The paper has not been presented to any professional society. Furthermore, all authors declare that no financial interest, commercial financial support or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could influence this work exist.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karl Landsteiner University Hospital St. Pölten, Propst Führer-Straße 4, 3100, St. Pölten, Austria

    Johannes Schnabl, Astrid Wolf-Magele, Stefan Marcel Pok & Georg Sprinzl

  2. Karl Landsteiner Institut für Implantierung elektronischer Hörsysteme, St. Pölten, Austria

    Johannes Schnabl & Georg Sprinzl

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Christoph Url

  4. Department of Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Patrick Zorowka

Authors
  1. Johannes Schnabl
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  2. Astrid Wolf-Magele
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  3. Stefan Marcel Pok
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  4. Christoph Url
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  5. Patrick Zorowka
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  6. Georg Sprinzl
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Johannes Schnabl or Georg Sprinzl.

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Schnabl, J., Wolf-Magele, A., Pok, S.M. et al. Evaluation of a minimally invasive surgical fixation technique for young children with the Concerto Pin cochlear implant system. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 1893–1898 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-2993-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-2993-7

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