Oliver Adunka, MD

This series of projects aims to establish the method of electrocochleography (ECochG) during and following cochlear implantation. This has been an ongoing effort since 2005 the initial goal was to establish an algorithm that would allow to monitor cochlear health during electrode insertions. This has since been realized and current projects focus on improvements to the present system as well as to explore this method for cochlear implant mapping, performance prediction, and other topics.

This NIH funded and FDA approved clinical trial aims at establishing the potential of ECochG monitoring in cochlear implant candidates with substantial residual hearing and to determine the value of the presence and the amount of ipsilateral residual hearing on postoperative outcomes such as hearing and quality of life.

The aim of this project is to continue to enhance our understanding of the clinical parameters relevant when considering cochlear implantation in adult and children with single sided deafness.

This project aims to further establish the utility and clinical relevance of postoperative imaging in cochlear implantation.

This clinical trials aims at evaluating cochlear implantation during either transmastoid labyrinthectomies or translabyrinthine approaches for small vestibular schwannomas. Both types of procedures sacrifice hearing and the patient’s options for hearing rehabilitation are typically limited to conventional CROS or BAHA devices. Cochlear implantation provides the only solution of utilizing the affected ear.

The research labs within the Division of Otology, Neurotology, and Cranial Base Surgery work on many other projects, including:

• Adult and pediatric cochlear implant electrophysiology
• Adult cochlear implant outcomes and rehabilitation
• Cochlear implant speech processing
• Infant speech development in various settings
• Animal auditory physiology including age and noise related hearing loss
• Vestibular (balance) related topics

U01 DC018920, NIH NIDCD
Adunka (PI)
08/01/2020 – 07/30/2025
Residual hearing in the cochlear implant ear

ERH 180042, DoD
Fitzpatrick (PI), Adunka (Co-I)
07/01/2019-09/30/2024
Measurements of cochlear synaptopathy using electrocochleography

R01 DC016038, NIH NIDCD
He (PI), Adunka (Co-I)
07/05/2017-06/30/2022
Neural encoding and auditory perception in cochlear implant users

R01 DC017846, NIH NIDCD
He (PI), Adunka (Co-I)
07/01/2019-06/30/2024
Neural encoding and auditory processing of electrical stimulation in pediatric cochlear implant users

R01DC017925, NIH NIDCD
Houston (PI), Adunka (Co-I)
01/01/2020-12/31/2024
Parent-child interactions and word learning in your deaf children with cochlear implants

Demason CE, Choudhury B, Ahmad FI, Buchman CA, Fitzpatrick DC, Adunka OF. Electrophysiological properties of cochlear implantation in the gerbil using a flexible array. Ear Hear 2012; 33:531-42.

Forgues M, Koehn H, Dunnon A, Pulver SH, Buchman CA, Adunka OF, Fitzpatrick DC. Distinguishing hair cell and neural potentials recorded at the round window in gerbils. J Neurophysiol 2014, 111:580-93.

Formeister EJ, McClennan JH, Merwin WH, Iseli CE, Teagle HFB, Buchman CA, Fitzpatrick DC, Adunka OF. Intraoperative round window electrocochleography is correlated with speech perception outcomes in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. Ear Hear 2015, 36:249-60.

Riggs WJ, Dwyer RT, Holder JT, Mattingly JK, Ortmann A, Noble JH, Dawant BM, Valezuela CV, O’Connell BP, Harris MS, Litvak LM, Koka K, Buchman CA, Labadie RF, Adunka OF. Intracochlear electrocochleography: influence of scalar position of the cochlear implant electrode on postinsertion results. Otol Neurotol 2019; 40:e503-10.

Adunka OF, Dillon MT, Adunka MC, King ER, Pillsbury HC, Buchman CA. Hearing preservation and speech perception outcomes with electric-acoustic stimulation after 12 months of listening experience. Laryngoscope 2013, 123:2509-15.

Dillon MT, Buss E, Pillsbury HC, Adunka OF, Buchman CA, Adunka MC. Effects of hearing aid settings for electric-acoustic stimulation. J Am Acad Audiol 2014; 25:133-40.

Pillsbury HC 3rd, Dillon MT, Buchman CA, Staecker H, Prentiss SM, Ruckenstein MJ, Bigelow DC, Telischi FF, Martinez DM, Runge CL, Friedland DR, Blevins NH, Larky JB, Alexiades G, Kaylie DM, Roland PS, Miyamoto RT, Backous DD, Warren FM, El-Kashlan HK, Slager HK, Reyes C, Racey AI, Adunka OF. Multicenter US clinical trial with an electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) system in adults: final outcomes. Otol Neurotol 2018; 39:299-305.

Adunka O, Kiefer J, Unkelbach MH, Lehnert T, Gstoettner W. Development and evaluation of an improved cochlear implant electrode design for electric acoustic stimulation. Laryngoscope 2004; 114:1237-41.

Adunka O, Unkelbach MH, Mack MG, Radeloff A, Gstoettner W. Predicting basal cochlear length for electric acoustic stimulation. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005; 131:488-92.

Kiefer J, Boehnke F, Adunka O, Arnold W. Representation of acoustic signals in the human cochlea in presence of a cochlear implant electrode. Hear Res 2006; 221:36-43.

 

Adjunct Professor, July 2018 - Present
Medical University of Vienna
Department of Otolaryngology 
Professor, 2007 - Present
Department of Neurosurgery
The Ohio State University

• Triological Society Career Development Award, 2010
• UNC Sophomore Basic Science Teaching Award, Brain & Behavior course, 2010, 2011
• Best Doctors in America, 2010-2016
• Best Poster Award, 2nd place, 114th Annual Meeting of the Triological Society, Chicago, IL, 2011
• Best Poster Award, 2nd place, Combined Sections Meeting of the Triological Society, Miami Beach, FL, 2012
• Best Poster Award, 1st place, 48th Annual Meeting of the American Neurotology Society, Orlando, FL, 2013
• Best Poster Award, 1st place, 117th Annual Meeting of the Triological Society, Las Vegas, NV, 2014
• Outstanding Poster Award, 118th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Orlando, FL, 2014
• UNC Sophomore Basic Science Course Award, Brain & Behavior course, 2014
• Otology Study Section Chair, CORE (Centralized Otolaryngology Research Effort of the American Academy of Otolaryngology), 2015
• Honorable Mention Award for Clinical Research ‘Round window electrocochleography before and after cochlear implant electrode insertion’ Triological Society Thesis, 2015
• American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Honors Award, 2016
• Castle Connolly Top Doctors, 2017
• Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA), American Heath Council 2017 ‘Doctors to Watch’ Award, 2017