Micro-Drill Assists in Cochlear Implant Placement

The surgical drilling robot, developed by Professor Peter Brett, Ph.D., from the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Aston University (Birmingham, United Kingdom), is able to detect the approach of the drill tip to the tissue interface, thus avoiding penetration of the inner membrane of the cochlea, and avoiding debris contaminating the inner ear. The drill is aligned to position and then drills a hole less than 1 mm in diameter to enable the placement of the implant. While traditional surgery for CIs involves an experienced surgeon using a surgical drill under a microscope, the automated invasive surgical drill performs real-time identification of tissue types by measuring their deformation. This deformation is then used to discriminate between tissues and tissue structure at the needle tip.

Dr. David Proops, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) consultant surgeon at the University Hospital Birmingham National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust (United Kingdom) has tested the drill successfully on three human patients needing cochlear implants.

A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Unlike other kinds of hearing aids, the cochlear implant does not amplify sound, but works by directly stimulating any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with electrical impulses. External components of the cochlear implant include a microphone, a speech processor, and a transmitter.



Related Links:
University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
School of Engineering & Applied Science, Aston University