This study utilizes auditory evoked potentials during cochlear implantation and other procedures of the inner ear in adults and children to improve preservation of residual hearing and to better understand the mechanisms of hearing loss and the time-line of surgery-related hearing loss. Further, this project attempts to capture the various electrophysiologic activities (biomarkers) that are unique to specific etiologies of hearing loss. Finally, utilizing the intraoperative findings this study aims to begin to develop new techniques and technologies which can be used to improve preservation of residual hearing during surgery and allow for optimal outcomes to be achieved as well as better delineate the true site-of-lesion in patients with hearing loss.

Currently, patients with a vestibular schwannoma (tumor of the hearing nerve) who undergo surgical treatment via a translabyrinthine approach lose complete hearing in the affected ear (single sided deafness). Also, patients suffering from unilateral (one ear) Meniere’s disease who undergo surgical treatment (labyrinthectomy) lose complete hearing in the affected ear. These patients are not traditional candidates for a cochlear implant due to having a normal or decent hearing ear on the other side. Therefore, this clinical trial is exploring the long-term benefits of simultaneous cochlear implantation in the same surgical procedure (translabyrinthine or labyrinthectomy) for patients who do not meet traditional FDA candidacy.

Neural Encoding and Auditory Perception in Cochlear Implant Users
This study is designed to use both psychophysical and electrophysiological measures to evaluate temporal encoding and processing at both the peripheral and the central levels of the auditory system in adult cochlear implant users. The long-term goal of this research is to better understand the neurophysiologic basis of speech perception deficits in older (≥ 65 years) CI users. This investigation is being led by Dr. Shuman He and is currently funded by the NIDCD.

Title: Electrophysiological Characteristics in Children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
PI: W. Jason Riggs, AuD, PhD
Dates: 7/1/2019- 6/30/2020
Agency: Hearing Health Foundation, $30,000

Trecca E, Adunka OF, Mattingly JK, Hiss MM, Cassano M, Malhotra PS, Riggs WJ. (2020) Electrocochleography observations in a series of cochlear implant electrode tip fold-overs. Otol Neurotol; In Press. 

Riggs WJ, Hiss MM, Varadajan V, Mattingly JK, Adunka OF. (2020) Enlarged vestibular aqueduct: Intraoperative electrocochleography findings during cochlear implantation. Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. In Press. 

Trecca E, Riggs WJ, Hiss MM, Mattingly JK, Adunka OF. Electrocochleography and Cochlear Implantation: A Systematic Review. Otol Neurotol 2020; In Press.

He S, Xu L, Skidmore J, Chao X, Riggs WJ, Wang R, Vaughan C, Luo J, Shannon M, Warner C. The effect of increasing pulse phase duration on neural responsiveness of the electrically-stimulated cochlear nerve. Ear Hear 2020; In Press.

Riggs WJ, Hiss MM, Skidmore J, Varadarajan V, Mattingly JK, Moberly AC, Adunka, OF. Utilizing Electrocochleography as a Microphone for Fully Implantable Cochlear Implants. Scientific Reports 2020; 10, 3714.

Riggs WJ, Fitzpatrick DC, Mattingly JK, Harris MS, Hiss MM, Rajkumar S, Zhan KY, Brown KD, Moberly AC, Dodson EE, Adunka OF. Electrocochleography during translabyrinthine approach for vestibular schwannoma removal. Otol Neurotol  2019; 41(3):e369-e377.

Trecca MC, Riggs WJ, Hiss MM, Mattingly JK, Cassano M, Prevedello DM, Adunka OF. Intraoperative monitoring of auditory function during lateral skull base surgery. Otol Neurotol 2019; 41(1):100-104.

He S, Chao X, Wang R, Luo J, Xu L, Teagle HFB, Park LR, Brown KD, Shannon M, Warner C, Pellittieri A, Riggs WJ. Recommendations for measuring the electrically evoked compound action potential in children with cochlear nerve deficiency. Ear Hear 2019; Epub ahead of print.

Mattingly JK, Zhan KY, Hiss MM, Harris MS, Dodson EE, Moberly AC, Adunka OF, Riggs WJ. Intraoperative electrocochleography in patients with meniere’s disease undergoing endolymphatic sac decompression and shunt surgery. Otol Neurotol 2019; 40 (9):1208-1216.

Riggs WJ, Dwyer RT, Mattingly JK, Holder J, Ortmann A, Buchman CA, Labadie R, Adunka OF. Intra-cochlear electrocochleography: insertion and post-insertion indicators of electrode location during cochlear implantation. Otol Neurotol 2019; 40, (5):e503-e510.

Koka K, Riggs WJ, Dwyer R, Holder JT, Noble JH, Dawant BM, Ortmann A, Valenzuela CV, Mattingly JK, Harris MM, O'Connell BP, Litvak LM, Adunka OF, Buchman CA, Labadie RF. Intra-cochlear electrocochleography during cochlear implant electrode insertion is predictive of final scalar location. Otology and Neurotology. 2018 Sep;39(8):e654-e659. 

Akapo K, Riggs WJ, Harris MS, Dodson EE. Hearing preservation after translabyrinthine vestibular schwannoma excision.  Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology 2018; 127(8):563-567. 

Riggs WJ, Roche JP, Giardina CK, Harris MS, Bastian ZJ, Fontenot TE, Buchman CA, Brown KD, Adunka OF, Fitzpatrick DC. Intraoperative electrocochleographic characteristics of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 11:416. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00416

Harris MS, Riggs WJ, Giardina CK, O’Connell BP, Holder J, Koka K, Wanna GB, Labadie RF Fitzpatrick DC, Adunka OF. Patterns seen during electrode insertion using intracochlear electrocochleography obtained directly through a cochlear implant. Otology and Neurotology 2017;38(10): 1415-1420.  

Riggs WJ, Harris MS, Adunka OF. Neurophysiologic monitoring in otologic and neurotologic surgery. In Glasscock-Shambaugh Surgery of the Ear, 7th edition (eds. David S. Haynes, Matthew L. Carlson, D. Bradley Welling and Lloyd Minor), People’s Medical Publishing House, Raleigh, NC, 2017.

Harris MS, Riggs WJ, Koka K, Litvak LM, Malhotra P, Moberly AC, O’Connell BP, Holder J, DiLella FA, Boccio CM, Wanna GB, Labadie RF, Adunka OF. Real­time intracochlear electrocochleography obtained directly through a cochlear implant. Otology and Neurotology 2017;38(6):e107-e113.

Riggs WJ, Harris MS, Adunka OF, Moberly AC. Intraoperative electrocochleography: a window into endolymphatic hydrops in a patient with an endolymphatic sac tumor. Otology and Neurotology 2017; 38(4):547-550.

Adjunct Faculty, 2017 - Current
Electroneurodiagnostic Technology Program
Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH

Rajkumar S, Adunka OF, Riggs WJ. 1st place poster- Intraoperative Electrocochleography Characteristics of Patients with Vestibular Schwannomas presented at OSU’s Engineering in Healthcare: Industry and Research Symposium for graduate and undergraduate students. March 3, 2018. 

Kenneth W. Berger, PhD Memorial Award, Best Research Manuscript, Northeast Ohio AuD Consortium, 2011