%0 Case Reports
%T A New Pathogenic Variant in POU3F4 Causing Deafness Due to an Incomplete Partition of the Cochlea Paved the Way for Innovative Surgery.
%A Tekin AM
%A Matulic M
%A Wuyts W
%A Assadi MZ
%A Mertens G
%A Rompaey VV
%A Li Y
%A Heyning PV
%A Topsakal V
%J Genes (Basel)
%V 12
%N 5
%D 04 2021 21
%M 33919129
%F 4.141
%R 10.3390/genes12050613
%X Incomplete partition type III (IP-III) is a relatively rare inner ear malformation that has been associated with a POU3F4 gene mutation. The IP-III anomaly is mainly characterized by incomplete separation of the modiolus of the cochlea from the internal auditory canal. We describe a 71-year-old woman with profound sensorineural hearing loss diagnosed with an IP-III of the cochlea that underwent cochlear implantation. Via targeted sequencing with a non-syndromic gene panel, we identified a heterozygous c.934G > C p. (Ala31Pro) pathogenic variant in the POU3F4 gene that has not been reported previously. IP-III of the cochlea is challenging for cochlear implant surgery for two main reasons: liquor cerebrospinalis gusher and electrode misplacement. Surgically, it may be better to opt for a shorter array because it is less likely for misplacement with the electrode in a false route. Secondly, the surgeon has to consider the insertion angles of cochlear access very strictly to avoid misplacement along the inner ear canal. Genetic results in well describes genotype-phenotype correlations are a strong clinical tool and as in this case guided surgical planning and robotic execution.