Device profile of the MED-EL cochlear implant system for hearing loss: overview of its safety and efficacy

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Patients suffering from severe to profound hearing loss or even deafness can achieve a hearing improvement with a cochlear implant (CI) treatment that is significantly higher than the results achieved with conventional hearing aids. The CI system consists of an implantable stimulator, which is inserted retro-auricularly into the mastoid, and an externally worn processor unit, which provides the pickup of sound and processing of acoustic information as well as the power supply for the stimulator and internal current sources. The stimulator has an electrode array that is inserted into the cochlea.

Areas covered

This is a descriptive overview of MED-EL’s multichannel CI system (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria), which was introduced to the European market in 1994. The continuing development of the implant as well as the external components is outlined and various other aspects (stimulation strategy, adaptation, results, reliability) are discussed.

Expert commentary

The strength of the company is the continuous pursuit of innovative ideas. This is evidenced by numerous innovations. The reliability of the implants has been continuously improved. The current SYNCHRONY models of the manufacturer show no indication of technically caused failures over an observation period of 5 years.

KEYWORDS:

• Cochlear implant
• cumulative survival rate (CSR)
• profound hearing loss
• deafness
• hearing preservation
• electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS)
• single-sided deafness (SSD)

Declaration of interest

U Baumann, T Stöver, and T Weissgerber were previously appointed as consultants for MED-EL. Several research cooperations have existed and currently exist between the company and the authors’ institution. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

One peer reviewer is paid by MED-EL as the Audiology Advisory Board member. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.