Feasibility of multichannel human cochlear nucleus stimulation.

Bipolar electrical stimulation of the brainstem cochlear nucleus (CN) following acoustic tumor removal in an only-hearing ear can provide beneficial hearing. However, the benefits of multichannel stimulation have yet to be defined. Following removal of a second acoustic tumor in a patient with neurofibromatosis 2, a Nucleus mini-22 channel implant device was inserted with the electrode array tip from the foramen of Luschka cephalad along the root entry zone of the eighth nerve, secured by a single suture superficially in the brain stem. Initial stimulation on the sixth postoperative day indicated that electrodes 18 to 22 were capable of CN stimulation without seventh nerve stimulation. Presumed electrode migration precluded further CN stimulation 1 month later. This report illustrates the feasibility of brainstem CN stimulation with an existing multichannel system.