Until now, the vestibular implant research has shown many promising results. The Geneva-Maastricht group has demonstrated that a vestibular implant can partially restore essential body reflexes which control eye and body movement. Also, major functional benefits have been demonstrated; for example, the vestibular implant has the potential to improve the vision of patients when walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In May 2021 a new investigation has started within the Maastricht University Hospital: The VertiGO! project. This project will be performed in collaboration with the University of Geneva, other European universities, the manufacturer MED-EL, and several patient organizations. The project is co-funded by the Dutch government (Health Holland) and the Heinsius Houbolt Foundation. During this project, 8 new patients with severe bilateral vestibular loss will be implanted. They will make daily use of their vestibular implant for 3 weeks while staying in hospital. This will show whether patients will actually benefit from the vestibular implant during regular day-to-day activities. In addition, the safety of using the implant and the personal experiences of the patients will be evaluated. More infromation regarding this project can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the VertiGO! project, the Geneva-Maastricht group is performing research regarding all other aspects related to the vestibular implant. These topics include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n