MED-EL Introduces OTOGUIDE, Bringing Real Time Insight to Cochlear Implant Electrode Insertion

May 11, 2026 – (Innsbruck, Austria): Every cochlear implant surgery includes a decisive moment no one can see: the electrode sliding into the delicate spiral of the cochlea – surgeons rely on experience and tactile feedback. Although insertion monitoring tools are available today, visualizing electrode insertion in its true three‑dimensional anatomical context remains demanding. OTOGUIDE builds on MED‑EL’s established 3D expertise to close this gap.

• Visualizes electrode insertion live during cochlear implant surgery
• Gives surgeons live feedback and records each insertion
• Works seamlessly with MED‑EL’s existing CI surgical ecosystem

As digital technologies continue to transform surgical workflows, clinicians increasingly rely on data that complements experience and tactile feedback. OTOGUIDE supports this shift by providing surgeons with real‑time information during one of the most delicate phases of cochlear implantation: electrode insertion.

Precision You Can See

With OTOGUIDE, surgeons can get a better understanding of what was previously only estimated. OTOGUIDE is an intraoperative software tool that gives surgeons a clear, intuitive view of the insertion process. On a single screen, they can follow:

• Real‑time electrode insertion status
• Live impedance measurements that provide updates instantly
• A visual representation of electrode insertion throughout surgery

This level of insight is designed to help surgeons feel more secure, more informed, and more connected to what is happening inside the cochlea. “Insertion is one of the most decisive steps of cochlear implantation – yet it happens out of sight”, says Jennifer Robinson, Corporate Director of Product Management Hearing Solutions at MED-EL. “OTOGUIDE brings this moment into view, giving surgeons information they can use immediately and a record they can return to later. Anything that helps us understand insertion better has the potential to support more consistent outcomes.”

What OTOGUIDE Offers

OTOGUIDE provides surgeons with clear, actionable information during and after surgery, including:

• Real‑time insertion metrics showing how far the electrode is being inserted
• Live impedance feedback presented in easy‑to‑read graphs and color‑coded views
• Automatic recording of each insertion for documentation and later review
• Replay tools that allowing review from different perspectives and speeds
• Contact detection showing how many electrode contacts are inside the cochlea in real time
• Objective intraoperative measurements, such as AutoART and ESRT, supporting clinical decision‑making
• Device integrity checks are performed before the sterile package is opened
• Centralized data storage for complete case documentation

This ensures surgeons have relevant information when it matters most – during surgery and in postoperative review.

Part of a Complete, Integrated Ecosystem

OTOGUIDE is part of MED‑EL’s growing suite of surgical tools – including OTOPLAN for preoperative planning, OTODRIVE for slow, precise electrode movement, and OTOARM for accurate surgical tool positioning during cochlear implant surgery – supporting surgeons throughout the cochlear implantation journey.
For more than three decades, MED‑EL has worked closely with clinicians worldwide, combining engineering expertise with a commitment to patient‑centered solutions. OTOGUIDE builds on this approach by adding data‑driven insight to a critical step in CI surgery.

OTOGUIDE and an updated version of OTOPLAN will be introduced at CI2026 in Warsaw (May 10–13). For further details about OTOGUIDE, OTOPLAN, and MED‑EL’s surgical ecosystem, please visit the MED-EL website. 

About MED-EL

MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 3,100 employees from around 90 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 140 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, auditory brainstem implants as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com 

CEO

Doz. DI Dr DDr med. h.c. Ingeborg Hochmair

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