CHIEF Cochlear Implants and Inner Ear Inflammation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cochlear Implants and Inner Ear Inflammation
IRAS ID
330110
Contact name
Tracey A Newman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Cochlear implants restore hearing in profoundly deaf people. Implants convert sounds into electrical currents through a flexible wire, or electrode array, inserted into the cochlea. The currents stimulate the delicate tissues in the cochlea, and the brain interprets this as sound.
Children with implants often meet their developmental milestones. Despite the benefits some children do not hear as well as expected. We need to understand why, as this will enable us to optimise treatment to make implantation more effective for more children.
In this project we will characterise the inflammatory state of the ear of children at the time of their implant surgery.
Inflammation happens in the cochlea after implantation as part of normal wound healing. However, in some cases inflammation can cause unwanted tissue growth, or scar, around the array. This is likely to alter the electrical stimulation of the cochlea, can move the electrode, and be a cause of poorer hearing.
We know inflammation to a similar injury varies between people. This is because of our individual immune histories. This variability may also affect implants. If proven this could mean treatment of inflammation may improve hearing outcome for more children.
We will analyse a sample of the lining (or mucosa) of the middle ear, a small volume of fluid from the cochlea, and a swab from the ear and nose collected from children in the study during their cochlear implant surgery. We will ask for access to cochlear implant clinical measurements after implantation. By using lab-based molecular techniques we will be able to identify immune cells in the samples and how inflamed they are before implantation surgery.
We will use the measurements to find out if, as we predict, there is association between inflammation before implantation and hearing outcome.
The new knowledge from this study will help improve implant outcomes.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/SW/0062
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion