Electrodes and the stapedial reflex
Reviewed by Badr El Mostafa

This study had two main objectives: testing the efficiency of the sequential stimulation of four different electrodes versus a single electrode on the threshold of the stapedial reflex; and correlating the values with the minimum comfort level (MCL). The study included 35 post-lingually deafened adult patients implanted with the Digisonic SP implant. During surgery, the stapedial reflex was elicited by two protocols and visually observed by the surgeon and on the monitor by the audiologist. In the first stimulation protocol, four preselected electrodes (one apical, two midzone and one basal) were separately stimulated with increasing width of the impulse until the stapedial reflex was elicited. In the second protocol, the four electrodes were sequentially stimulated from the basal to the apical electrodes. All patients were fitted four weeks after the surgery and the stapedial reflex thresholds compared to the MCL. In all cases the stapedial reflex thresholds were significantly lower during sequential stimulation compared to mono-electrode stimulation and correlated more closely to the MCL after fitting. The authors conclude that this stimulation protocol may be more convenient in determining the dynamic range in younger children and non-cooperative patients.

Stimulation sequentielle multi-electrodes versus stimulations mon-electrode pouyr evoquer le reflexe stapedien pendant l’impantation cochleaire: correlation avec le niveau maximal de confort.
Guida M, Falcioni M, Di Lella F, et al.
ANNALES FRANCAISES D’OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGIE ET DE PATHOLOGIE CERVICO-FACIALE
2019;136:169-72.