Evaluation of the temporal bones of a multichannel cochlear implant patient.

In this report we detail the temporal bone findings of a 57-year-old patient who underwent placement of a Nucleus 22-channel electrode 7 months prior to his death. Audiometric testing postoperatively demonstrated suprasegmental speech cue discrimination only. Histologic evaluation of the cochleas revealed significant sensorineural survival except in the region of the basal turn of the implanted cochlea adjacent to the implant. There was no significant pathologic condition attributable to the operation or the electrode in areas remote from the basal turn of the cochlea.