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Sound-localisation performance in patients with congenital unilateral microtia and atresia fitted with an active middle ear implant

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

This study assessed the safety and sound-localisation ability of the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) (Med-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) in patients with unilateral microtia and atresia (MA).

Methods

This was a single-centre retrospective research study. Twelve subjects with unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL) caused by ipsilateral MA were recruited, each of whom underwent VSB implantation and auricular reconstruction. The bone-conduction (BC) threshold was measured postoperatively, and the accuracy of sound localisation was evaluated at least 6 months after surgery. Horizontal sound-localisation performance was investigated with the VSB activated and inactivated, at varying sound stimuli levels (65, 70 and 75 dB SPL). Localisation benefit was analysed via the mean absolute error (MAE).

Results

There was no statistical difference in mean BC threshold of impaired ears measured preoperatively and postoperatively. When compared with VSB-inactivated condition, the MAE increased significantly in unilateral MA patients in the VSB-activated condition. Besides, sound-localisation performance worsened remarkably when sound was presented at 70 dB SPL and 75 dB SPL. Regarding the side of signal location, the average MAE with the VSB device was much higher than that without the VSB when sound was from the normal-hearing ear. However, no significant difference was observed when sound was located from the impaired ear.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that in patients with unilateral MA, the VSB device does not affect inner-ear function. Sound-localisation ability is not improved, but deteriorated at follow-up. Our results suggest that the VSB-aided localisation abilities may be related to the thresholds between the ears, plasticity of auditory system and duration of use of VSB.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from Project of Capital Clinical Characteristic Application Research of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission (Z171100001017079) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81770989).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China

    Chunli Zhao, Yujie Liu, Jinsong Yang, Peiwei Chen, Mengdie Gao & Shouqin Zhao

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  1. Chunli Zhao
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  2. Yujie Liu
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Correspondence to Shouqin Zhao.

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All procedures performed in present study were in line with the ethical standards. And ethical approvals were obtained from Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, China.

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Zhao, C., Liu, Y., Yang, J. et al. Sound-localisation performance in patients with congenital unilateral microtia and atresia fitted with an active middle ear implant. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 278, 31–39 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06049-w

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