Round Window Stimulation of the Cochlea

Herman A Jenkins; Nathaniel Greene; Daniel J Tollin

doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.777010

Round Window Stimulation of the Cochlea

Front Neurol. 2021 Dec 14:12:777010. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.777010. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Herman A Jenkins¹, Nathaniel Greene¹, Daniel J Tollin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
² Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.

Abstract

Mixed hearing loss associated with a sensorineural component and an impaired conductive mechanism for sound from the external ear canal to the cochlea represents a challenge for rehabilitation using either surgery or traditional hearing amplification. Direct stimulations of the ossicular chain and the round window (RW) membrane have allowed an improved hearing in this population. The authors review the developments in basic and clinical research that have allowed the exploration of new routes for inner ear stimulation. Similar changes occur in the electrophysiological measures in response to auditory stimulation through the traditional route and direct mechanical stimulation of the RW. The latter has proven to be very effective as a means of hearing rehabilitation in a group of patients with significant difficulties with hearing and communication.

Keywords: active middle ear prosthesis; cochlear micromechanical response to stimulation; electro-mechanical stimulation; hearing loss; round window stimulation.

Publication types

Review