First successful installations of artificial vestibular implants

Three patients recently underwent successful installations of the first vestibular implants, artificial versions of the vestibular system that helps in the maintenance of balance. Two received their implant at Maastricht University Medical Centre (Maastricht UMC) in the Netherlands, while the third received the implant in H?pitaux Universitaires de Genève, Switzerland.

The vestibular implant is constructed like cochlear implants, with an external part that registers head movements and can be secured to the head, and an internal part that connects to nerve endings. Gyroscopes and accelerometers in the external part perform measurements that are digested and transmitted by a microprocessor to the internal part. The internal part has electrodes connected to the vestibular nerve.

The two teams used a slightly different surgical approach. The team from Maastricht UMC attached the electrodes within the semicircular channels of the vestibular system, while the H?pitaux Universitaires de Genève team attached the electrodes outside the vestibular system.

All of the implants installed are prototypes developed by Med-El, a manufacturer of cochlear implants. The vestibular implant is being developed primarily for bilateral vestibular areflexia. Fine-tuning of the implants in the coming weeks is needed to determine if they work as conceived. Previous animal studies, however, were successful in restoring balance with similar implants.