# Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant (TICI): Feasibility Study []() []() []() []() []()[]()[]() [hearbetter](https://hearbetter.medel.com/en-ca/) > Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant (TICI): Feasibility Study [ Back ](javascript:history.back()) # Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant (TICI): Feasibility Study ## **SCIENCE UPDATE** *New scientific studies summarized for you* ### **Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant (TICI): Feasibility Study** (Original title: Lefebvre, P.P., Müller, J., Mark, G. et al. Rehabilitation of human hearing with a totally implantable cochlear implant: a feasibility study. Commun Med 5, 10 (2025).) ### **Key message:** Safety, hearing performance and user satisfaction with the TICI are comparable to conventional cochlear implants. ### **Background** Cochlear implants (CIs) restore hearing in individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Despite their proven benefits, CI uptake remains low. One reason is the external audio processor, its visibility, and its limitations for the user. A totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI) was developed, combining all CI components in a single implant, invisible from the outside, eliminating the disadvantages of an external audio processor. The first-in-human study results of the TICI assessed its safety, hearing performance and user satisfaction. ### **Methods:** - Non-randomized single group assignment - Participants: - 6 (4 female, 2 male) from 2 CI centers (Liège, Munich) - Mean age: 44.6 years - Bilateral severe to profound HL (>70 dB HL) - Within-subject comparison with TICI and external audio processor - Data collection over 52 weeks - Surgery and fitting: - Standard surgical approach for conventional cochlear implants - First fitting 4 weeks post-op - Outcome measures: - Adverse events - Speech perception in quiet (monosyllables) and in noise (sentence tests, SRT50) - Subjective quality of life, subjective sound quality (HUI3, SSQ-12, HISQUI-19, NCIQ) - Subjective user satisfaction: diary reports - Device usage (hours per day): TICI data logging ### **Results:** - Safety: - Adverse event distribution is comparable to conventional CIs. - Adverse events: 15, of which - Anticipated serious adverse device effect: 1 (swelling and infection signs at implantation site, successfully resolved without sequelae) - Unanticipated serious adverse device effects: 0 - Hearing performance and user satisfaction: - Speech perception in quiet and noise with the TICI was similar to the CI used with an external audio processor (within-subject comparison) as well as comparable to conventional CIs. - Patient-reported outcome measures and user satisfaction scores all increased over the study duration. - 5 of 6 participants used the TICI without an external processor most of the time. Read the full paper here (Open Access): [Rehabilitation of human hearing with a totally implantable cochlear implant: a feasibility study | Communications Medicine](https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-024-00719-0) ## Sign for new updates By subscribing to our newsletter, you stay up-to-date on the best practices in hearing implant technology. Subscribe Information about MED-EL’s privacy policy can be found [here](https://www.medel.com/privacy-policy). A valid email is required.