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27. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Audiologie
und Arbeitstagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutschsprachiger Audiologen, Neurootologen und Otologen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Audiologie e. V. und ADANO

19. - 21.03.2025, Göttingen

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Coupling efficiencies and audiological outcomes of an Active Middle Ear Implant using different surgical placements

Meeting Abstract

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  • presenting/speaker Daniela Korth - Universitätsklinikum Jena, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Jena, Deutschland
  • Christian Kuhnt - Universitätsklinikum Jena, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Jena, Deutschland; SRH Naumburg, Klinik für Gefäßchirurgie, Naumburg, Deutschland
  • Erik Schebsdat - MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte Deutschland GmbH, Starnberg, Deutschland
  • Orlando Guntinas-Lichius - Universitätsklinikum Jena, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Jena, Deutschland
  • Sven Koscielny - Universitätsklinikum Jena, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Jena, Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Audiologie e. V. und ADANO. 27. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Audiologie und Arbeitstagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutschsprachiger Audiologen, Neurootologen und Otologen. Göttingen, 19.-21.03.2025. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2025. Doc164

doi: 10.3205/25dga164, urn:nbn:de:0183-25dga1646

Published: March 18, 2025

© 2025 Korth et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Outline

Text

Objectives: An active middle ear implant (AMEI) that facilitates sound transmission through a floating mass transducer affixed to the ossicles (OC), round window (RW), or other coupling locations (others) can be used to treat conductive and combined hearing loss. Up to now there exists limited information on audiological and coupling protocols to assess the performance of an AMEI. By offering data on coupling efficiencies and audiological results pertaining to the surgical placement of an AMEI of 22 patients with conductive or combined hearing loss we aim at contributing to bridge this gap.

Design: In a retrospective cohort study, we examined coupling efficiency, functional gain, and effective gain in 24 ears using an AMEI of the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) type (MED-EL, Austria). We examined standardized audiometric tests and vibroplasty measurements at frequencies between 0.5 and 4 kHz (4PTA).

Results: Implant function of the VSB was ensured independent of the surgical placement with an overall coupling efficiency of 16.4 dB HL, functional gain of 28.0 dB HL and an effective gain of 1.25 dB HL being consistent with past literature.

Conclusion: This work emphasizes the VSB’s efficacy with various surgical placements, as evidenced by its good auditory performance.