Paul Van de Heyning

About

Paul Van de Heyning is a pioneering otologic surgeon whose work sits at the intersection of auditory neuroscience, genetic hearing loss, and surgical robotics. His primary research areas include robotic-assisted cochlear implantation (RACIS), inner ear anatomy, and the surgical management of both congenital and acquired deafness. Van de Heyning is best known for leading the first-in-human study of the HEARO® robotic system for autonomous inner ear access in cochlear implantation (52 citations), a breakthrough that promises to reduce trauma and improve hearing preservation. He has also made significant contributions to understanding cochlear size and its implications for electrode insertion force and surgical outcomes (23 citations), and has identified a new pathogenic variant in POU3F4 that enabled innovative surgery for a rare cochlear malformation (21 citations). With over 175 citations across his most influential papers, his work has shaped the transition from manual to robot-assisted techniques in otology. Notably, his research on electrode choice and facial nerve monitoring during robotic drilling has advanced the safety and precision of the HEARO procedure, positioning him as a leading figure in the future of minimally invasive hearing restoration.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   First Study in Men Evaluating a Surgical Robotic Tool Providing Autonomous Inner Ear Access for Cochlear Implantation

   52 citations · 2022
2. 2
   Comparison of the Surgical Techniques and Robotic Techniques for Cochlear Implantation in Terms of the Trajectories Toward the Inner Ear

   32 citations · 2020
3. 3
   Cochlear Size Assessment Predicts Scala Tympani Volume and Electrode Insertion Force- Implications in Robotic Assisted Cochlear Implant Surgery

   23 citations · 2021
4. 4
   A New Pathogenic Variant in POU3F4 Causing Deafness Due to an Incomplete Partition of the Cochlea Paved the Way for Innovative Surgery

   21 citations · 2021
5. 5
   Suitable Electrode Choice for Robotic-Assisted Cochlear Implant Surgery: A Systematic Literature Review of Manual Electrode Insertion Adverse Events

   17 citations · 2022
6. 6
   Audiological outcomes of robot-assisted cochlear implant surgery

   13 citations · 2023
7. 7
   Robotic cochlear implantation in post-meningitis ossified cochlea

   8 citations · 2022
8. 8
   Retrospective evaluation of Facial nerve monitoring to prevent nerve damage during robotic drilling in the largest series of patients undergoing the HEARO-procedure

   3 citations · 2025
9. 9
   Evaluation of a Less Invasive Cochlear Implant Surgery in OPA1 Mutations Provoking Deafblindness

   3 citations · 2023
10. 10
    The Role of Soft-Tissue Surgery of the Tongue in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    3 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links