The American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACIA) hosted the 17th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies, July 10-13 in Vancouver. Surgeons, trainees and audiologists from the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University made several important research contributions to the event.
The annual meeting is designed to showcase trending topics, novel research, and interdisciplinary viewpoints to promote advances in implantable hearing devices.
One highlight of the conference was presentation of the ACIA Lifetime Achievement Award to WashU Professor and Director of the Cochlear Implant Program Jill Firszt, PhD. The award recognizes the contributions over the whole of a career and for the work and accomplishments of the individual being recognized. The award was commemorated by presentation of the annual Keynote Address by Firszt titled, “Cochlear Implantation of Individuals with Asymmetric Hearing Loss and Single Sided Deafness: Results, Expectations and Gaps in Knowledge.”
Otolaryngology resident Jordan Varghese, MD, MSCI, was also honored. His work, “Tonotopic-Based Intracochlear Electrocochleography Estimates Performance for Perimodiolar and Lateral Wall Arrays,” was selected as Best Surgical Poster. More than 240 posters were submitted to this year’s conference.
Lindburg Professor and Chair Craig Buchman, MD, served as a scientific session moderator and also presented remarks at the industry Satellite Symposium: Cochlear “Inspired by a Lifetime of Hearing Performance: Innovations in Cochlear Implant Technology to Maximize Hearing Potential.”
A special interest group lunch was led by WashU neurotology fellow Miriam Smetak, MD, to provide early stage trainees an opportunity to discuss next steps and career goals with recent graduates.
WashU podium presentations included:
Craig Buchman, MD – Predicting Performance in Cochlear Implantation
Jill Firszt, PhD – Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Children with Single-Sided Deafness in a Multicenter Clinical Trial
David Lee, MD – Hearing Outcomes Of Lateral Wall Vs Perimodiolar Electrodes Among Unilateral Cochlear Implant Recipients
Matthew Shew, MD – Social Determinants of Health; Does It Impact Cochlear Implant Performance?
Amit Walia, MD, MSCI – Amyloid and Tau Proteins: Potential Perilymph Biomarkers for Cochlear Implant Performance?
Amit Walia, MD, MSCI – Improved Cochlear Implant Performance Prediction using Tonotopic-based Electrocochleography
Poster contributions included:
Shannon Lefler, AuD – Does Electric and Acoustic Stimulation Mismatch Predict Adoption of and Success with Electric-Acoustic Stimulation in CI Users with Preserved Low Frequency Hearing?
David Lee, MD – Qualifying Cochlear Implant Candidates New And Old – Does It Matter How Patients Are Qualified?
David Lee, MD – Hearing Outcomes Of Lateral Wall Vs Perimodiolar Electrodes Among Unilateral Cochlear Implant Recipients
Jordan Varghese, MD, MSCI – Tonotopic-Based Intracochlear Electrocochleography Estimates Performance for Perimodiolar and Lateral Wall Arrays