and callcification

[Guest guest]

Hi and Sam

I thought I would combine two posts into one..

,I meant to post my experiences with otosclerosis to you several days ago

but i got way-laid .Sam,I couldn't be happier with my Nucleus devices.

Eight years ago when I was going to be implanted i chose to have the Clarion.The

reason was that it didnot have the over the ear microphone..i thought the

transmitter with Mic would be easy to cover.

Well,I was diagnosed with otosclerosis when I was 12 yrs old and i underwent 2

stapesmobilizations,an attempted fenestration and 3 stapedectomies by the time I

was 48yrs old.Some surgeries were successful and some not.I became profoundly

deaf after my 3rd stapedectomy.(the fenestration ..which is to drill through the

round window was aborted because of too much callcification.)I no longer have

round windows so that will not be a problem for you ,.I was profoundly deaf

for ten yrs before hearing about the cochlear implant.I had to have a CT

scan..this did not penetrate so i had an mRI.It showed that my right ear was

the best to implant.Both were severely callcified.because I was profoundly deaf

I had to have a promontory stimulation test to see if my auditory nerve was

fuctioning.It was.

Well,my surgeon could not get the electrode array of the Clarion device inserted

into the cochlea.He had a nucleus array in the OR and inserted that..he got full

insertion.The reason he could not get the Clarion array inserted was because at

the time he had a special tool to use and could not feel his way around the

callcification.The array of the Nucleus is hand fed and when he met a block he

moved it accordingly.

Now ,your surgeon may be able to insert the Clarion array ..they may have a

different way of inserting it..but the electrodes may cause facial stimulation

and have to be deactivated.The reason I say this is because 12 of my electrodes

caused facial stimulation.In 2001 I underwent bilateral CI surgery with the

N24Contour in my other ear.My surgeon would not have implanted a N24 as it had a

straight array and I would have had the same experience with it as with my

N22.He would have implanted a Clarion with postionioner(The postioner is no

longer used) as that would have positioned the electrodes close to the nerve

cells and away from my facial nerve.But then the Nucleus 24Contour was approved

by the FDA so we decided to go with that.That has a selfcurling elecrode array

that fits snuggly next to the nerve cells and also as far away from the facial

nerve as possibleWhat was happening with my electrodes was that where my cochlea

is the most porous it is closest to the facial nerve..the electricity escaped

and hit the facial nerve causing all the facial stimulation.

Only 4 electrodes had to be deactivated with my N24C .My N22 has now been mapped

with variable Mode mapping and the facial stimulation is no longer a problem.I

am hearing very,very well with both my cochlear implants.

I wrote Journey out of Silence and it was published in 1998.It tells about

otosclerosis and my surgeries and my early CI experiences.My 2nd book I DANCED

will be released in mid Oct.My story is told in great detail. It tells about the

reposioning surgery of my receiver of my N22 that I had to undergo when it

migrated down to behind my pinna.It includes my case study.There are pictures of

my elecrode arrays in the cochleas and photos of my repositioning

surgery..nothing gruesome<SMILE>.There are pictures showing my electrodes during

an integrity test and lots of other interesting and valuable information.

Dora Weber

Nucleus Volunteer Advocate

dora_weber@...

Bilateral

N22-96

N24C-01

Cochlear Otosclerosis