scholarly journals The Influence of Piezoelectric Transducer Stimulating Sites on the Performance of Implantable Middle Ear Hearing Devices: A Numerical Analysis

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu ◽  
Zhao ◽  
Yang ◽  
Rao
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Piezoelectric Transducer ◽  
Basilar Membrane ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Hearing Devices

To overcome the inherent deficiencies of hearing aids, implantable middle ear hearing devices (IMEHDs) have emerged as a new treatment for hearing loss. However, clinical results show that the IMEHD performance varies with its transducer’s stimulating site. To numerically analyze the influence of the piezoelectric transducer’s stimulating sites on its hearing compensation performance, we constructed a human ear finite element model and confirmed its validity. Based on this finite element model, the displacement stimulation, which simulates the piezoelectric transducer’s stimulation, was applied to the umbo, the incus long process, the incus body, the stapes, and the round window membrane, respectively. Then, the stimulating site’s effect of the piezoelectric transducer was analyzed by comparing the corresponding displacements of the basilar membrane. Besides, the stimulating site’s sensitivity to the direction of excitation was also studied. The result of the finite element analysis shows that stimulating the incus body is least efficient for the piezoelectric transducer. Meanwhile, stimulating the round window membrane or the stapes generates a higher basilar membrane displacement than stimulating the eardrum or the incus long process. However, the performance of these two ideal sites’ stimulation is sensitive to the changes in the excitation’s direction. Thus, the round window membrane and the stapes is the ideal stimulating sites for the piezoelectric transducer regarding the driving efficiency. The direction of the excitation should be guaranteed for these ideal sites.

Finite Element Model of Human Cochlea Considering of the Helicotrema Size

2013 ◽  
Vol 456 ◽  
pp. 576-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Fu Xu ◽  
Na Ta ◽  
Zhu Shi Rao ◽  
Jia Bin Tian
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Basilar Membrane ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Oval Window ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Cochlear Duct ◽  
Human Cochlea ◽  
Set Up

A 2-D finite element model of human cochlea is established in this paper. This model includes the structure of oval window, round window, basilar membrane and cochlear duct which is filled with fluid. The basilar membrane responses are calculated with sound input on the oval window membrane. In order to study the effects of helicotrema on basilar membrane response, three different helicotrema dimensions are set up in the FE model. A two-way fluid-structure interaction numerical method is used to compute the responses in the cochlea. The influence of the helicotrema is acquired and the frequency selectivity of the basilar membrane motion along the cochlear duct is predicted. These results agree with the experiments and indicate much better results are obtained with appropriate helicotrema size.

Influence of ossicular chain malformation on the performance of round-window stimulation: A finite element approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (5) ◽  
pp. 584-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houguang Liu ◽  
Hu Zhang ◽  
Jianhua Yang ◽  
Xinsheng Huang ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Basilar Membrane ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Ossicular Chain ◽  
Asymmetric Structure ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Stapes Fixation

As a novel application of implantable middle ear hearing device, round-window stimulation is widely used to treat hearing loss with middle ear disease, such as ossicular chain malformation. To evaluate the influence of ossicular chain malformations on the efficiency of the round-window stimulation, a human ear finite element model, which incorporates cochlear asymmetric structure, was constructed. Five groups of comparison with experimental data confirmed the model’s validity. Based on this model, we investigated the influence of three categories of ossicular chain malformations, that is, incudostapedial disconnection, incus and malleus fixation, and fixation of the stapes. These malformations’ effects were evaluated by comparing the equivalent sound pressures derived from the basilar membrane displacement. Results show that the studied ossicular chain malformations mainly affected the round-window simulation’s performance at low frequencies. In contrast to the fixation of the ossicles, which mainly deteriorates round-window simulation’s low-frequency performance, incudostapedial disconnection increases this performance, especially in the absence of incus process and stapes superstructure. Among the studied ossicular chain malformations, the stapes fixation has a much more severe impact on the round-window stimulation’s efficiency. Thus, the influence of the patients’ ossicular chain malformations should be considered in the design of the round-window stimulation’s actuator. The low-frequency output of the round-window simulation’s actuator should be enhanced, especially for treating the patients with stapes fixation.

Parameter study on a finite element model of the middle ear / Parameterstudie an einem Finite-Elemente-Modell des Mittelohrs

2010 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Hoffstetter ◽  
Florian Schardt ◽  
Thomas Lenarz ◽  
Sabine Wacker ◽  
Erich Wintermantel
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Finite Elemente

scholarly journals Evaluation of Round Window Stimulation Performance in Otosclerosis Using Finite Element Modeling

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanguo Yang ◽  
Dan Xu ◽  
Xiaole Liu
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Bone Growth ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Annular Ligament ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Sound Stimulation ◽  
Partial Fixation ◽  
Human Ear

Round window (RW) stimulation is a new type of middle ear implant’s application for treating patients with middle ear disease, such as otosclerosis. However, clinical outcomes show a substantial degree of variability. One source of variability is the variation in the material properties of the ear components caused by the disease. To investigate the influence of the otosclerosis on the performance of the RW stimulation, a human ear finite element model including middle ear and cochlea was established based on a set of microcomputerized tomography section images of a human temporal bone. Three characteristic changes of the otosclerosis in the auditory system were simulated in the FE model: stapedial annular ligament stiffness enlargement, stapedial abnormal bone growth, and partial fixation of the malleus. The FE model was verified by comparing the model-predicted results with published experimental measurements. The equivalent sound pressure (ESP) of RW stimulation was calculated via comparing the differential intracochlear pressure produced by the RW stimulation and the normal eardrum sound stimulation. The results show that the increase of stapedial annular ligament and partial fixation of the malleus decreases RW stimulation’s ESP prominently at lower frequencies. In contrast, the stapedial abnormal bone growth deteriorates RW stimulation’s ESP severely at higher frequencies.

Design and Experimental Analysis of a New Malleovestibulopexy Prosthesis Using a Finite Element Model of the Human Middle Ear

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A. Vallejo Valdezate ◽  
Antonio Hidalgo Otamendi ◽  
Alberto Hernández ◽  
Fernando Lobo ◽  
Elisa Gil-Carcedo Sañudo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Experimental Analysis ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Human Middle Ear

Clinical Applications of a Finite-Element Model of the Human Middle Ear

2001 ◽  
Vol 30 (06) ◽  
pp. 340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam J. Daniel ◽  
W. Robert J. Funnell ◽  
Anthony G. Zeitouni ◽  
Melvin D. Schloss ◽  
Jamie Rappaport
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Human Middle Ear
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document