STUDIES AT A GLANCE

Scientific studies summarized for you

Study: A new Passive Middle Ear Prosthesis with a Centered Ball Joint: First results.

(Bevis N, Effertz T, Beutner D. A Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis With a Concentric Ball Joint in the Headplate. Laryngoscope. 2022 Sep 20. doi: 10.1002/lary.30390. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36125256.)

Key message:

A new passive middle ear implant featuring a ball joint, developed by the authors in collaboration with MED-EL,

• transmits sound efficiently,
• facilitates surgical handling
• improves intraoperative anatomic visibility and
• allows for a more stable position during pressure changes with the surrounding anatomy.

This new passive middle ear implant offers promising features for stable hearing performance.

Background:

Passive middle ear implants are established tools for tympanoplasty and stapes surgery. However, commonly used rigid prostheses may dislocate or protrude due to pressure changes and consequently compromise hearing performance.

A new passive middle ear implant prosthesis was developed, featuring a balanced, concentric ball joint in the headplate. This design aims to adapt more flexibly to pressure changes, thus reducing dislocation and protrusion, without compromising hearing performance. Furthermore, it was built to enhance surgical handling.

Methods:

In an experimental setup using six human temporal bones, the authors compared three conventional, rigid prosthesis to three new concentric ball joint prosthesis. Sudden pressure fluctuations were simulated, and the stiffness of both prostheses was tested.

Results:

The ball joint prostheses adapted to the tympanic membrane movement and kept contact at all times with the surrounding anatomy, whereas the rigid prostheses lost contact.

Experiments showed similar sound transmission characteristics of both prostheses.

Intraoperative handling was rated higher with the new prosthesis compared to the rigid one. Decisive factors were the adjustability of the headplate, better visibility of the stapes and better coupling characteristics.

Read the study here: A Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis With a Concentric Ball Joint in the Headplate – Bevis – The Laryngoscope – Wiley Online Library