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A middle ear implant is a hearing device that is surgically implanted into the middle ear. They help people with conductive, sensorineural or mixed hearing loss to hear. [1] Middle ear implants work by improving the conduction of sound vibrations from the middle ear to the inner ear. There are two types of middle ear devices: active and passive.
The behind-the-ear (BTE) microphone unit is worn on the patient's deaf ear. Using the natural acoustic benefits of the outer ear, sound is collected and channelled into the ear canal. A tiny microphone is placed within the canal of the impaired ear and is connected by a small tube to the BTE.
In 2003, the company acquired the Vibrant Soundbridge, a new type of active middle ear implant pioneered by American inventor Geoffrey Ball. [8] It was MED-EL’s first non-cochlear implant product. Further non-cochlear implant products followed with the Bonebridge active bone conduction implant in 2012 and the Adhear non-surgical bone ...
The bone behind the ear is exposed through a U-shaped or straight incision or with the help of a specially designed BAHA dermatome. A hole, 3 or 4 mm deep depending on the thickness of the bone, is drilled. The hole is widened and the implant with the mounted coupling is inserted under generous cooling to minimize surgical trauma to the bone.
People with cochlear implants are at a higher risk for bacterial meningitis. Thus, meningitis vaccination is recommended. [33] People who have hearing loss, especially those who develop a hearing problem in childhood or old age, may need support and technical adaptations as part of the rehabilitation process.
The surgery takes 1 ⁄ 2 to 1 hour if done through the ear canal and 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 2 hours if an incision is needed. It is done under local or general anesthesia . It is done on an inpatient or day case basis and is successful 85–90% of the time.
[3] [4] The endoscopic procedures lasted approximately 2 hours. The first patient was a 40 year old with accidental trauma damage and the other was a 62 year old born with a middle ear issue and a history of failed interventions.
Bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear primarily through the bones of the skull, allowing the hearer to perceive audio content even if the ear canal is blocked. Bone conduction transmission occurs constantly as sound waves vibrate bone, specifically the bones in the skull, although it is hard for the average individual to ...