A three-dimensional thermal model of the human cochlea for magnetic cochlear implant surgery

•A three-dimensional heat transfer model of the human cochlea is developed.•A study of thermal safety in robotic cochlear implant surgery enabled by magnetic guidance.•Safe power input increases with electrode array radius in magnetic cochlear implant surgery.•Safe power input increases linearly with cochlea size in magnetic cochlear implant surgery.•Safe power input is inversely proportional to cochlea implant electrode array insertion depth.