Development of Cone-Shaped Electrode for Promontory Stimulation Electrically Auditory Brainstem Response

와우 갑각 전기자극 뇌간유발반응용 원추형 전극의 개발

This paper introduces a new zinc coated copper wire electrode with coiled cone shape which has low surface resistance and tolerance to the motion artifact for promontory stimulation electrically auditory brainstem responses (PSEABR). Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) can be used to predict hearing threshold level with a great deal of accuracy particularly for a young child who cannot cooperate mechanically and some hearing impaired who are exaggerating a hearing loss for economic compensation. While severe profound sensorineural hearing losses may not be implemented by auditory potentials, PSEABR is proven as a useful tool even for some sensorineural related hearing impaired. It was shown that PSEABR gives the electrical stimuli to promontory of the cochlear instead of giving acoustic stimuli. For this reason, PSEABR can be used as an alternative for cochlear implantation, and can also be used as an optimal device selection and neural information for MAP. It was found that the role of electrode is very important in PSEABR. Even though this cone-shaped electrode was applied in animal experiments, waveforms are well produced by PSEABR. Thus, it was concluded that cone-shaped electrode turned out to be a useful preoperative audiological evaluation tool in deciding time for cochlear implantation surgery.