Fig. 1
Dexamethasone-eluting implant study overview. (A) Experimental design for dexamethasone-eluting implant study: The number of cochlea (n) used for histopathology in each group and time point has been mentioned. (B) Schematic representation of a standard cochlear implants: The electrode assembly of the standard cochlear implant consists of a half-banded, three-contact intracochlear array: 2.25 mm in length, 0.15 mm in width at the tip, and 0.64 mm in the widest part (base). The distance between the tip and the apical electrode (E3) is 0.35 mm. Each electrode has a length of 0.25 mm. The distance between the tip of the implant and the basal end of the first electrode (E1) is 1.6 mm. All the parameters shown in the figure are in mm. The intracochlear array tapers to a wider extracochlear helix lead wire insulated with silicone. The intracochlear and two extracochlear electrodes are connected to a transcutaneous 6-pin connector(C). Schematic representation of dexamethasone-eluting implants: Structurally, dexamethasone-eluting implants are comparable to the standard implants except that a dexamethasone-eluting strip (blue) is attached to the apical intracochlear part of the implant. (D) Dexamethasone content of cochlear implants explanted from implanted mice: Following euthanasia of the implanted mice, 4 mm of the electrode from the tips of the cochlear implants was collected at 10-, 56-, and 112 days post-CI. The remaining dexamethasone content was measured using UPLC-MS. Error bars indicate SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test.
