Surgical protocols in 2025 have been transformed by the integration of Robot-Assisted Insertion Systems. These platforms use real-time force-feedback sensors to insert the electrode array at a constant, ultra-slow speed, minimizing intracochlear trauma. Clinical data suggests that robotic assistance can preserve up to 90% of a patient's residual hearing, a significant leap from the 60-70% achieved with manual techniques.

Furthermore, preoperative planning has been revolutionized by software like OTOPLAN, which uses AI to measure an individual's unique cochlear duct length from a CT scan. This allows surgeons to select an electrode array that is perfectly "tailored" to the patient's anatomy, ensuring full coverage of the auditory nerve without over-insertion. These advances, detailed in the Cochlear Implants Market technology report, have expanded candidacy to patients with moderate hearing loss who were previously deterred by the risk of losing their remaining natural hearing.