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CompletedNCT05073796Updated Oct 11, 2021

Cochlear Implant Electrostimulation and the Influence on the Vestibular Organ

An interventional study of Cochlea Implant in Deafness Unilateral, Deafness, Bilateral and Deafness Congenital, sponsored by RWTH Aachen University. Completed at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-10-11.

Sponsored by RWTH Aachen University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
10
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

There is evidence that the sensor function of the utricle in patients with bilateral labyrinthine dysfunction (bilateral vestibulopathy) may improve balance under the influence of high frequency basal stimulation of the cochlea.

The aim of the study is to measure the possible co-stimulation of the utricle (which is determined by the SVV) by tonotopic (frequency-specific) cochlear stimulation and thus to objectify whether the stimulation of the auditory nerve in CI patients also leads to an unavoidable co-stimulation of the vestibular system.

Read the detailed description

The cochlea is tonotopically structured, i.e. certain frequencies are mapped on a specific part of the cochlea from basal to apical. It is not yet known whether tonotopically differentiated stimulation of the cochlea has an unavoidable side effect on other body systems, such as the vestibular organ. If the labyrinthine dysfunction occurs as a consequence of a CI implantation, this could in the future lead to the possibility of reducing vestibular complications after CI surgery by switching certain electrodes on or off.

In a first investigation phase, a conventional and already implanted CE-certified cochlear implant will be used. The aim of this project is to test certain tonotopic stimulus patterns that stimulate the cochlea by varying the volume within predefined settings. Thus, there is no misuse of the device and no change in performance attributes. Within the framework of the clinical project planned here, the testing of vestibular co-stimulation during normal cochlear stimulation via the basal, medial and apical electrodes of the CI electrode is planned. Under the influence of defined stimulation patterns, the assessment of the subjective visual vertical (SVV) in project participants will be investigated.

The influence of tonotopic stimulation on the SVV result will have a high priority.

02

Conditions studied

  • Deafness Unilateral
  • Deafness, Bilateral
  • Deafness Congenital
  • Deafness, Acquired

Keywords

  • Deafness, Cochlea Implant
03

In context

Deafness

609 studies on the registry are indexed under Deafness; 111 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 10 is below the median of 40 across 411 interventional studies indexed under Deafness.

Browse Deafness studies →

Lead sponsor

RWTH Aachen University is the lead sponsor of 228 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • uni- or bilaterally deafened and deaf patients with cochlear implants (one- or two- sided) from Advanced Bionics (AB), model HiRes 90K and newer
  • majority
  • given informed consent
  • legally competent and mentally able to follow the instructions of the personnel

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • unsuccessful CI implantation (device or electrode defects, incomplete electrode array insertion, missing neuronal stimulus responses)
  • pregnant and/or breastfeeding women
  • severe pre- or concomitant disease or reduced general ground condition, so that an outpatient presentation in the ENT polyclinic is not possible
  • life expectancy of less than six months
  • the patient has received a study medication within the last 30 days within the framework of another study
  • simultaneous participation in another clinical intervention study
  • anticipated lack of compliance
  • alcohol or drug abuse
  • the patient is placed in an institution by order of the authorities or court
  • patients who are in a dependent or employed relationship with the sponsor, investigator, or their deputy
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Sequential assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
10 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Interventional arm

    Participants will receive the intervention as descibed in the respective section.

    Device: Cochlea Implant

Interventions

  • DeviceCochlea Implant

    * examination and documentation of vital signs and concomitant medication * application of an cochlea implant loan processor (external body surface) with varying stimulus pattern for vestibular stimulation by means of basal, medial and apical electrodes * attraction of an special mask to determine the subjective visual vertical (SVV) * assessment of the vertical spatial axis with all electrodes turned off * assessment of the vertical spatial axis with all electrodes turned on * assessment of the vertical spatial axis while using basal (12-16) and medial (6-11) electrodes * assessment of the vertical spatial axis while using basal (12-16) and apical (1-5) electrodes * assessment of the vertical spatial axis while using medial (6-11) and apical (1-5) electrodes

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change of the subjective visual vertical (SVV) with tonotopic CI stimulation

    The SVV is determined by wearing a special mask that prevents patients from seeing their spatial position. Instead, they see a light bar in the mask. The head is now tilted to the left and right. After adjusting the body position, the examiner asks to be told when the light bar is perceived to be vertical.

    Time frame: 15 - 30 minutes

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, University Hospital Aachen
    Aachen, NRW 52074, Germany
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Nguyen TAK, Cavuscens S, Ranieri M, Schwarz K, Guinand N, van de Berg R, van den Boogert T, Lucieer F, van Hoof M, Guyot JP, Kingma H, Micera S, Perez Fornos A. Characterization of Cochlear, Vestibular and Cochlear-Vestibular Electrically Evoked Compound Action Potentials in Patients with a Vestibulo-Cochlear Implant. Front Neurosci. 2017 Nov 21;11:645. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00645. eCollection 2017. PubMed 29209162 ↗
  • Bance ML, O'Driscoll M, Giles E, Ramsden RT. Vestibular stimulation by multichannel cochlear implants. Laryngoscope. 1998 Feb;108(2):291-4. doi: 10.1097/00005537-199802000-00025. PubMed 9473085 ↗
  • Guinand N, Van de Berg R, Cavuscens S, Ranieri M, Schneider E, Lucieer F, Kingma H, Guyot JP, Perez Fornos A. The Video Head Impulse Test to Assess the Efficacy of Vestibular Implants in Humans. Front Neurol. 2017 Nov 14;8:600. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00600. eCollection 2017. PubMed 29184530 ↗
  • Parkes WJ, Gnanasegaram JJ, Cushing SL, McKnight CL, Papsin BC, Gordon KA. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing as an objective measure of vestibular stimulation with cochlear implants. Laryngoscope. 2017 Feb;127(2):E75-E81. doi: 10.1002/lary.26037. Epub 2016 Jun 12. PubMed 27291637 ↗
  • Jiang D, Cirmirakis D, Demosthenous A. A vestibular prosthesis with highly-isolated parallel multichannel stimulation. IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst. 2015 Feb;9(1):124-37. doi: 10.1109/TBCAS.2014.2323310. Epub 2014 Jul 25. PubMed 25073175 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 11, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05073796
Lead sponsor
RWTH Aachen University
Collaborators
Advanced Bionics
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 11, 2021
Start date
Sep 9, 2020
Primary completion
Jan 9, 2021
Completion
Jan 9, 2021
Last update
Oct 11, 2021

Study contacts

Martin Westhofen, Prof.Dr.med.
principal investigator · Klinik für Hals- Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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