scholarly journals Gain and Maximum Output of Two Electromagnetic Middle Ear Implants: Are Real Ear Measurements Helpful?

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 249-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ad Snik ◽  
John Noten ◽  
Cor Cremers
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Vibrant Soundbridge ◽  
Ear Canal ◽  
Target Values ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Output Characteristics ◽  
Functional Gain

We compared the output of two electronic middle ear implants: the Otologics MET™ device and the Vibrant Soundbridge™ device. Both devices were programmed in the linear amplification mode. Aided minus unaided sound pressure levels recorded in the ear canal (objective gain) were compared to unaided minus aided soundfield thresholds (functional gain) in 13 patients with severe sensorineural hearing loss. In addition, input/output characteristics were studied with the help of ear canal measurements. Objective gain was consistently lower than functional gain, with wide variation between patients and frequencies. Using input/output data measured in the ear canal in combination with functional gain data, the mean maximum output of the two devices was estimated, expressed in dB SPL. In comparison to NAL-R target values, (functional) gain was adequate; however, the maximum output was low, especially for the Vibrant Soundbridge device.

Application of the Vibrant Soundbridge middle-ear implant for aural atresia in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome

2012 ◽  
Vol 126 (12) ◽  
pp. 1216-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Lesinskas ◽  
V Stankeviciute ◽  
M Petrulionis
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Treacher Collins Syndrome ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Vibrant Soundbridge ◽  
Aural Atresia ◽  
Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Radiological Score ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Functional Gain

AbstractObjective:To present results for the auditory rehabilitation of patients with Treacher Collins syndrome with bilateral osseous atresia, using middle-ear implantation with a Vibrant Soundbridge.Methods:Three patients underwent vibroplasty for aural atresia with moderate to severe conductive hearing loss. The pre-operative Jahrsdoerfer radiological score was 4 for all patients. Patients underwent active middle-ear implantation of a Vibrant Soundbridge implant (coupling the floating mass transducer to the rudimentary stapes or footplate distally, and positioning it adjacent to the round window membrane proximally), with audiological analysis as follow up.Results:After implant activation, the mean air conduction threshold ± standard deviation decreased to 22.8 ± 5.5 dB HL, representing a mean functional gain of 44.5 dB. The mean word recognition score (for bisyllabic words at 65 dB SPL) increased from 0 to 97 per cent.Conclusion:Vibrant Soundbridge implantation is an effective hearing rehabilitation procedure in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome with bilateral osseous atresia. This is a versatile implant which can achieve coupling even in cases of severe middle-ear malformation.

scholarly journals Design Study of a Round Window Piezoelectric Transducer for Active Middle Ear Implants

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 946
Author(s):  
Dong Ho Shin
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Piezoelectric Transducer ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Piezoelectric Element ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Flat Band ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
Output Characteristics

This report describes the design of a new piezoelectric transducer for round window (RW)-driven middle ear implants. The transducer consists of a piezoelectric element, gold-coated copper bellows, silicone elastomer (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS), metal cylinder (tungsten), and titanium housing. The piezoelectric element is fixed to the titanium housing and mechanical resonance is generated by the interaction of the bellows, PDMS, and tungsten cylinder. The dimensions of PDMS and the tungsten cylinder with output characteristics suitable for compensation of sensorineural hearing loss were derived by mechanical vibrational analysis (equivalent mechanical model and finite element analysis (FEA)). Based on the results of FEA, the RW piezoelectric transducer was implemented, and bench tests were performed under no-load conditions to confirm the output characteristics. The transducer generates an average displacement of 219.6 nm in the flat band (0.1–1 kHz); the resonance frequency is 2.3 kHz. To evaluate the output characteristics, the response was compared to that of an earlier transducer. When driven by the same voltage (6 Vp), the flat band displacement averaged 30 nm larger than that of the other transducer, and no anti-resonance was noted. Therefore, we expect that the new transducer can serve as an output device for hearing aids, and that it will improve speech recognition and treat high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss more effectively.

scholarly journals Comparative study of efficiency and characteristics of FMT and DRT installed in human cadavers for round-window stimulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Ho Shin ◽  
Jong Hoon Kim ◽  
Peter Gottlieb ◽  
Yona Vaisbuch ◽  
Sunil Puria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Acoustic Hearing ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
Human Cadavers ◽  
Limited Frequency ◽  
Output Characteristics ◽  
Temporal Bones

AbstractAcoustic hearing aids generate amplified sound in the ear canal, and they are the standard of care for patients with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. However, because of their limited frequency bandwidth, gain, and feedback, there is substantial room for improvement. Active middle ear implants, which directly vibrate the middle ear and cochlea, are an alternative approach to conventional acoustic hearing aids. They provide an opportunity to improve sound quality and speech understanding with amplification rehabilitation. For floating-mass type and direct-rod type (DRT) middle ear transducers, a differential floating-mass transducer (DFMT) and a tri-coil bellows transducer (TCBT), respectively, were fabricated to measure the output characteristics in four human temporal bones. Both were fabricated to have similar output forces per unit input and were placed in four human temporal bones to measure their output performances. The TCBT resulted in higher output than did the DFMT throughout the audible frequency range, and the output was more prominent at lower frequency ranges. In this study, we showed that DRT was a more effective method for round window stimulation. Because of its frequency characteristics and vibration efficiency, this implantation method can be utilized as a driving solution for middle ear implants.

Functional Results of Vibrant Soundbridge Middle Ear Implants in Conductive and Mixed Hearing Losses

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Bernardeschi ◽  
Caroline Hoffman ◽  
Tarek Benchaa ◽  
Samia Labassi ◽  
Michel Beliaeff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Functional Results ◽  
Vibrant Soundbridge ◽  
Middle Ear Implants

Tympanometric Changes at 226 Hz and 678 Hz Across 10 Trials and for Two Directions of Ear Canal Pressure Change

1984 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Wilson ◽  
Janet E. Shanks ◽  
Susan K. Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Peak Pressure ◽  
Pressure Change ◽  
Transmission System ◽  
Ear Canal ◽  
Acoustic Admittance ◽  
Pressure Peak ◽  
The Mean

The influence that repeated tympanometric trials have on the aural-acoustic admittance characteristics of the middle-ear transmission system was studied in 24 young adults. The 226-Hz and 678-Hz data were generated by concurrently digitizing the conductance and admittance tympanograms at 25 daPa/s for both ascending and descending pressure directions. Ten successive trials for each frequency and direction of pressure change were made. Changes in admittance corrected for ear canal volume across the 10 tympanometrie trials were computed. The results demonstrated that generally admittance increases as the number of trials increases. For many subjects, the complexity of the tympanometric configuration also increases across trials. The results from eight subjects with single-peaked 678-Hz tympanograms were compared with the results from eight subjects with notched 678-Hz tympanograms to explain the mean decrease in susceptance across tympanometric trials. Finally, the pressure peak locations of the conductance, susceptance, and admittance tympanograms were evaluated and are discussed. The effects that differences in peak pressure location have on the computed static admittance values are presented.

Implantation of Electromagnetic Ossicular Replacement Device

1994 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Tos ◽  
Gerhard Salomon ◽  
Per Bonding
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Ear Canal ◽  
Entire Frequency Range ◽  
Ossicular Replacement ◽  
Implantable Hearing Aids ◽  
Functional Gain ◽  
Replacement Device

Semi-implantable hearing aids consisting of permanent middle ear implanted magnet, either partial ossicular replacement prostheses (PORP's) or total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORP's) driven by an electromagnet placed in the ear canal have been tested on six patients undergoing surgery for chronic otitis. The surgical and audiological problems are described. The audiological results were excellent in all six cases. A functional gain of 40-70 dB can be obtained for entire frequency range of the audiogram.

scholarly journals Middle ear implants: functional gain in mixed hearing loss

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Emilio Zernotti ◽  
Maria Fernanda Di Gregorio ◽  
Andrea C. Bravo Sarasty
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Mixed Hearing Loss ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
Functional Gain
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