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Binaural hearing restoration with a bilateral fully implantable middle ear implant

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

Abstract

Aim

The fully implantable middle ear implant (C-FI-MEI) is designed for patients with moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss or those with mixed hearing loss. To analyze the audiological post-operative results of subjects bilaterally implanted with C-FI-MEI.

Materials and methods

Retrospective study: 14 patients with bilateral, moderate-to-severe, sensorineural or mixed hearing loss were treated. This clinical sample included 14 cases bilaterally implanted (13 sequentially, 1 simultaneously). The evaluation at each follow-up after surgery included otologic examination, a structured interview, and different audiological tests composed of pure tone audiometry, speech in quiet and in noise test, and localization task. The mean follow-up was 67.2 ± 33 months.

Results

There were no significant differences between pre and post-operative pure tone averages. The patients showed no significant differences between pre-operatively aided and C-FI-MEI implant-aided conditions in terms of word recognition score. Speech perception in noise under different loudspeaker arrangements and localization tests demonstrated a binaural advantage in bilaterally implanted patients. The mean daily use time was 17.4 and 16.7 h, respectively, for right and left side.

Conclusion

The results for the 14 patients, bilaterally implanted with C-FI-MEI, suggest that bilateral implantation of fully implantable middle ear hearing devices is an effective procedure.

Level of evidence

4.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, “Guglielmo da Saliceto” Hospital of Piacenza, Via Cantone del Cristo 40, 29121, Piacenza, Italy

    Domenico Cuda, Alessandra Murri & Anna Mainardi

  2. ENT Audiology and Phoniatric Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Francesca Forli, Stefano Berrettini & Luca Bruschini

Authors
  1. Domenico Cuda
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  2. Alessandra Murri
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  3. Anna Mainardi
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  4. Francesca Forli
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  5. Stefano Berrettini
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  6. Luca Bruschini
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Correspondence to Alessandra Murri.

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Cuda, D., Murri, A., Mainardi, A. et al. Binaural hearing restoration with a bilateral fully implantable middle ear implant. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 278, 2239–2246 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06290-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06290-3

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