Vibrant Soundbridge middle ear implant in mixed hearing loss. Indications, techniques, results.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to illustrate the aetiologies of mixed hearing loss that can benefit from a Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) middle ear implant, the techniques performed and the first results.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: The authors report their experience of 13 implantations in mixed hearing loss due to otosclerosis, sequelae of chronic otitis media and congenital aural atresia. The VSB implant was implanted alone or in association with another middle ear surgical procedure, on the ossicular chain or on the round window membrane.

RESULTS

The average auditory gain for all patients is 32 dB for pure tone thresholds, and 25 dB for speech recognition. It results from the addition of a gain on the conductive hearing loss by direct stimulation of the inner ear, to a gain on the sensorineural hearing loss by amplification.

CONCLUSION

Middle ear implants are the only hearing aids affording a gain in both the conductive and sensorineural components of mixed hearing losses.