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About

Christoph Rathgeb is a pioneering researcher in the field of robotic cochlear implantation, a specialty that merges microsurgery, image-guided robotics, and otology. His major contributions center on developing and clinically validating a novel surgical workflow for robotic middle ear access, enabling a minimally invasive "keyhole" approach to the inner ear. Rathgeb’s landmark work, including the first clinical demonstration of robotic cochlear implantation in humans (2017, 118 citations) and the first-in-man robotic middle ear access trial (2019, 97 citations), has redefined the limits of microsurgical precision. These studies prove that surgical robots can operate beyond human dexterity and perception, safely targeting the round window through a single, small tunnel. His research has accumulated over 350 citations, underscoring its impact on both engineering and clinical practice. Notably, Rathgeb’s "Instrument flight to the inner ear" (2017, 107 citations) conceptualizes robotic navigation as a form of flight, a metaphor that captures the transformative potential of this technology. For students and researchers, Rathgeb’s work represents a paradigm shift: turning cochlear implantation from a manual, invasive procedure into a precise, robot-assisted intervention that promises faster recovery and better outcomes.