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Fabrication and evaluation of an improved polymer-based cochlear electrode array for atraumatic insertion

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Abstract

An atraumatic cochlear electrode array has become indispensable to high-performance cochlear implants such as electric acoustic stimulation (EAS), wherein the preservation of residual hearing is significant. For an atraumatic implantation, we propose and demonstrate a new improved design of a cochlear electrode array based on liquid crystal polymer (LCP), which can be fabricated by precise batch processes and a thermal lamination process, in contrast to conventional wire-based cochlear electrode arrays. Using a thin-film process of LCP-film-mounted silicon wafer and thermal press lamination, we devise a multi-layered structure with variable layers of LCP films to achieve a sufficient degree of basal rigidity and a flexible tip. A peripheral blind via and self-aligned silicone elastomer molding process can reduce the width of the array. Measuring the insertion and extraction forces in a human scala tympani model, we investigate five human temporal bone insertion trials and record electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses (EABR) acutely in a guinea pig model. The diameters of the finalized electrode arrays are 0.3 mm (tip) and 0.75 mm (base). The insertion force with a displacement of 8 mm from a round window and the maximum extraction force are 2.4 mN and 34.0 mN, respectively. The electrode arrays can be inserted from 360° to 630° without trauma at the basal turn. The EABR data confirm the efficacy of the array. A new design of LCP-based cochlear electrode array for atraumatic implantation is fabricated. Verification indicates that foretells the development of an atraumatic cochlear electrode array and clinical implant.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the Pioneer Research Center Program (NRF-2009-0082961) and the Public Welfare & Safety Research Program (NRF-2010-0020851) through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and in part by BK21 Plus Project, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, SNU in 2014

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Bldg. 301 Room# 1006, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea

      Tae Mok Gwon, Kyou Sik Min, Jin Ho Kim & Sung June Kim

    2. Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

      Tae Mok Gwon, Kyou Sik Min & Sung June Kim

    3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

      Seung Ha Oh & Ho Sun Lee

    4. Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, South Korea

      Seung Ha Oh & Ho Sun Lee

    5. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Boramae Medical Center, SMG-SNU, Seoul, South Korea

      Min-Hyun Park

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    1. Tae Mok Gwon
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    Correspondence to Sung June Kim.

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    Tae Mok Gwon, Kyou Sik Min and Jin Ho Kim contributed equally to this work.

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    Gwon, T.M., Min, K.S., Kim, J.H. et al. Fabrication and evaluation of an improved polymer-based cochlear electrode array for atraumatic insertion. Biomed Microdevices 17, 32 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-015-9941-1

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