Implantability of endaurally insertable active vibratory middle-ear implants – an anatomical study

Abstract

Background: Hearing loss is often treated with an acoustic hearing aid. However, distortion and insufficient gain may cause problems. Active non-acoustic vibratory middle-ear implants (AMEI) may contribute to solve this problem. We recently developed an AMEI which is to be implanted completely through the patient’s external auditory canal. The device uses a light-emitting diode (LED) in the external auditory canal that stimulates a photovoltaic sensor, placed in the middle ear, through the intact tympanic membrane. This results in activation of a vibratory miniaturized piezoelectric displacement transducer (MDT) (actuator) coupled to the auditory organ.

Aims/objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical implantability of the novel AMEI using an exclusively endaural approach.

Materials and methods: The internal components of our AMEI were implanted into 39 human temporal bones. The surgical procedure and the optimal size and anatomical fitting were systematically evaluated.

Results: We can show here that implantation of all components of this novel AMEI into anatomical specimens proves to be a quick and easy procedure, performed using an endaural approach.

Conclusions and significance: The anatomical data of this study establish the basis for further technical development of our AMEI and other future implantable hearing systems.

Chinese abstract

背景：听力损失通常用声学助听器治疗。但是, 失真和效果不足可能会带来问题。活性非声振动中耳植入体（AMEI）可能有助于解决这个问题。我们最近开发了一种AMEI, 通过患者的外耳道将其完全植入。在外耳道中, 该装置用发光二极管（LED）, 透过完整的鼓膜, 刺激置于中耳鼓室中的光电传感器, 导致激活耦合到听觉器官的振动微型压电位移传感器（MDT）（致动器）。

目的：本研究的目的是专用耳内法评估新型AMEI的解剖学植入性。

材料和方法：我们的AMEI的内部组件被植入39个人颞骨。系统地评估外科手术和最佳尺寸和解剖学拟合。

结果：我们可以在此显示, 将这种新型AMEI的所有组件使用耳道法植入解剖学标本证明是一种快速简便的手术。

结论和意义：本研究的解剖学数据为我们的AMEI和未来其它植入型听力系统的进一步技术开发奠定了基础。

Keywords:

• Active non-acoustic vibratory middle-ear implants (AMEIs)
• endaurally insertable hearing implant
• round window implantation
• oval window implantation
• optic signal transmission
• anatomical study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fortüne Program (University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany) under Grant 2339-0-0 to Katrin Reimann. This study was financially supported by Fortüne Prorgam (University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany).