Advanced Bionics (AB) unveils its latest powerful innovation, the AIM System, at CI2019, the 16th Symposium on Cochlear Implants in Children in Hollywood, Florida.
Image: AIM stands for Active Insertion Monitoring, and is designed to be an invaluable tool for surgeons and hearing care professionals. Photo: Courtesy of kalhh from Pixabay.
AIM stands for Active Insertion Monitoring, and is designed to be an invaluable tool for surgeons and hearing care professionals working with cochlear implant patients.
The challenge with CI surgery today is that surgeons have no objective means of monitoring the function of the cochlea during electrode insertion. The AIM system addresses this issue by using the implant to record ECochG, a proven1 measure of cochlear health, during insertion. ECochG, or electrocochleography, is a technique for recording potentials generated by the inner ear and the auditory nerve in response to acoustic stimulation. Utilizing the advanced measurement capabilities of the AB implant technology, AIM is able to measure ECochG potentials in real-time and provide feedback to the surgeon during electrode insertion.
The AIM system continues to offer benefits after the surgery. It can be used to perform objective audiometry from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz quickly and reliably without patient collaboration, making it especially convenient when working with younger and harder-to-test patients. In addition to audiometry, the AIM system can also perform a suite of objective measures including NRI, ESRT, and electrode impedances. All of these tests can be performed quickly and automatically with the click of a button.
For all its versatile functionality, AIM is easy to use with its modern and intuitive user interface. After testing, patient data and results can be exported easily, and a full PDF report is generated automatically. In other words, the AIM system is fast, objective, and convenient.
“We’re very excited about the introduction of the AIM system because we believe that this is an important innovation for CI surgery. Surgeons and audiologists want the best outcomes for their patients, and AIM can be a means for them to achieve that. It is another testament to AB’s commitment not only to our CI wearers, but also to the hearing health professionals who care for them,” stated Victoria E. Carr-Brendel, Ph.D., GVP, Sonova Group and President of Advanced Bionics.
Source: Company Press Release.