Clip Vibroplasty: Experimental Evaluation and First Clinical Results

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe an active auditory rehabilitation method (clip vibroplasty) for conductive or mixed hearing loss in cases of a preserved stapes superstructure.

PATIENTS: After temporal bone experiments, the new clip vibroplasty was clinically used in 4 patients with chronic otitis media.

INTERVENTIONS: A new titanium double clip device (clip vibroplasty) was developed for a standardized and effective coupling of the floating mass transducer of the Vibrant Soundbridge to the intact stapes. Temporal bone experiments using laser Doppler vibrometry were performed to evaluate the device's acoustic efficiency. The audiologic outcomes of the first 4 patients were analyzed. The subjective benefits and satisfaction were assessed using the standardized International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids in all patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Transfer characteristics of laser Doppler vibrometry experiments; audiologic outcomes of the 4 patients.

RESULTS: In the temporal bone experiment, coupling of the FMT using the titanium double clip support produced transfer characteristics across all tested frequencies comparable to our former total ossicular reconstruction prosthesis or an optimal round window application. The intraoperative application of the clip vibroplasty was uneventful in all cases. No signs of prosthesis dislocation were noted within the follow-up period of approximately 12 months. The audiologic outcome of the first patients showed good hearing gain in pure-tone and speech audiometry, with results that are unobtainable using a conventional air conduction hearing aid.

CONCLUSION: The concept of a partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis vibroplasty using a titanium clip support entails a straightforward procedure similar to a classic partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis tympanoplasty. The unoccluded ear canal and the superior auditory performance offer an advantageous application of this "power clip" in cases of chronic middle ear dysfunction.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)650-653
Number of pages4
JournalOtology and Neurotology
Volume32
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2011
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

WOS 000290560600020
PubMed 21765388
Scopus 79957974865
ORCID /0000-0002-3061-0171/work/142241284
ORCID /0000-0003-3894-1175/work/148603672

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Clip vibroplasty, Implantable hearing aid, Power clip, Titanium prosthesis, Tympanoplasty, Vibrant, Vibroplasty