MED-EL Podcast

Author: MED-EL Medical Electronics

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Anatomy-Based Fitting
Episode 5
Tuesday, 7 April, 2026

In this episode, Jennifer Robinson is joined by Dr. Anja Kurz and Dr. Margaret Dillon for an in‑depth look at anatomy‑based fitting (ABF) and its role in reducing frequency–place mismatch. Together, they explore what makes ABF so impactful—from the underlying science to everyday clinical challenges—and discuss recent findings that show how individualized frequency alignment can improve listening comfort, sound quality, and speech comprehension. Literature Links: Buchman CA, Dillon MT, King ER, Adunka MC, Adunka OF, Pillsbury HC. Influence of cochlear implant insertion depth on performance: a prospective randomized trial. Otol Neurotol. 2014 Dec;35(10):1773-9. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000541. PMID: 25122601. Canfarotta MW, Dillon MT, Buchman CA, Buss E, O'Connell BP, Rooth MA, King ER, Pillsbury HC, Adunka OF, Brown KD. Long-Term Influence of Electrode Array Length on Speech Recognition in Cochlear Implant Users. Laryngoscope. 2021 Apr;131(4):892-897. doi: 10.1002/lary.28949. Epub 2020 Aug 1. PMID: 32738069; PMCID: PMC7855603. Dillon MT, Canfarotta MW, Buss E, Rooth MA, Richter ME, Overton AB, Roth NE, Dillon SM, Raymond JH, Young A, Pearson AC, Davis AG, Dedmon MM, Brown KD, O'Connell BP. Influence of Electric Frequency-to-Place Mismatches on the Early Speech Recognition Outcomes for Electric-Acoustic Stimulation Users. Am J Audiol. 2023 Mar;32(1):251-260. doi: 10.1044/2022_AJA-21-00254. Epub 2023 Feb 17. PMID: 36800505; PMCID: PMC10166189. Dillon MT, Buss E, Richter ME, Brown KD. Effects of Interaural Latency and Frequency Mismatch on Speech Recognition for Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users. Laryngoscope. 2025 Jun;135(6):2139-2145. doi: 10.1002/lary.32026. Epub 2025 Jan 27. PMID: 39871523. Kurz A, Müller-Graff FT, Hagen R, Rak K. One Click Is Not Enough: Anatomy-Based Fitting in Experienced Cochlear Implant Users. Otol Neurotol. 2022 Dec 1;43(10):1176-1180. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000003731. PMID: 36351223. Kurz A, Herrmann D, Hagen R, Rak K. Using Anatomy-Based Fitting to Reduce Frequency-to-Place Mismatch in Experienced Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users: A Promising Concept. J Pers Med. 2023 Jul 8;13(7):1109. doi: 10.3390/jpm13071109. PMID: 37511722; PMCID: PMC10381201. Kurz A, Herrmann D, Müller-Graff FT, Voelker J, Hackenberg S, Rak K. Anatomy-based fitting improves speech perception in noise for cochlear implant recipients with single-sided deafness. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2025 Jan;282(1):467-479. doi: 10.1007/s00405-024-08984-4. Landsberger DM, Svrakic M, Roland JT Jr, Svirsky M. The Relationship Between Insertion Angles, Default Frequency Allocations, and Spiral Ganglion Place Pitch in Cochlear Implants. Ear Hear. 2015 Sep-Oct;36(5):e207-13. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000163. PMID: 25860624; PMCID: PMC4549170. Lee SE, Brown KD, Overton AB, Thompson NJ, Sloop AD, Richter ME, Canfarotta MW, Selleck AM, Dedmon MM, Dillon MT. Association of Tonotopic Mismatch With the Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Users With Unilateral Hearing Loss. Otol Neurotol. 2025 Sep 1;46(8):e302-e306. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004543. Epub 2025 May 15. PMID: 40423677. Müller-Graff FT, Ilgen L, Schendzielorz P, Voelker J, Taeger J, Kurz A, Hagen R, Neun T, Rak K. Implementation of secondary reconstructions of flat-panel volume computed tomography (fpVCT) and otological planning software for anatomically based cochlear implantation. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 May;279(5):2309-2319. doi: 10.1007/s00405-021-06924-0. Epub 2021 Jun 8. PMID: 34101009; PMCID: PMC8986679. Müller-Graff FT, Voelker J, Kurz A, Hagen R, Neun T, Rak K. Accuracy of radiological prediction of electrode position with otological planning software and implications of high-resolution imaging. Cochlear Implants Int. 2023 May;24(3):144-154. doi: 10.1080/14670100.2022.2159128. Epub 2023 Jan 8. PMID: 36617441. Müller-Graff FT, Spahn B, Herrmann DP, Kurz A, Völker J, Hagen R, Rak K. Comprehensive literature review on the application of the otological surgical planning software OTOPLAN® for cochlear implantation. HNO. 2024 Dec;72(Suppl 2):89-100. English. doi: 10.1007/s00106-023-01417-4. Epub 2024 Jun 11. PMID: 38861031. Müller-Graff FT, Herrmann D, Spahn B, Voelker J, Kurz A, Neun T, Hackenberg S, Rak K. Position control of flexible electrodes with regard to intra-cochlear structure preservation and hearing outcomes: a retrospective study with implementation of the electrode contact view. Otol Neurotol. 2025 Jun 17. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004528. Online ahead of print. Sloop AD, Richter ME, Scharf SP, Rooth MA, Brown KD, Dillon MT. Attrition in Cochlear Implant Research: Sociodemographic, Audiologic, and Performance Variables. Laryngoscope. 2026 Mar 6. doi: 10.1002/lary.70464. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41792877.