A Transcutaneous Active Middle Ear Implant (AMEI) in Children and Adolescents: Long-term, Multicenter Results

John-Martin Hempel, Georg Sprinzl, Herbert Riechelmann, Christian Streitberger, Nadia Giarbini, Thomas Stark, Patrick Zorowka, Viktor Koci, Astrid Magele, Tobias Strenger, Joachim Müller, Barbara Wollenberg, Henning Frenzel

Research output: Journal article (peer-reviewed)Journal article

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the long-term safety and performance of an active middle ear implant (AMEI) in the treatment of hearing loss in children and adolescents with a primary focus on improvement in speech discrimination.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multicentric, single-subject repeated-measures design in which each subject serves as his or her own control.

SUBJECTS: Thirty-one pediatric subjects aged 5 to 17 years.

INTERVENTION: Implantation of an active middle ear implant.

METHODS: Improvement in word recognition scores, speech reception thresholds (SRT) in quiet and noise, in addition to air conduction, bone conduction, and sound field thresholds were evaluated in two age groups.

RESULTS: Residual hearing did not change over time and speech intelligibility significantly improved and remained stable after 36 months. Children aged 5 to 9 improved in WRS from 21.92 to 95.38% and in SRT in quiet and in noise respectively from 62.45 dB SPL (sound pressure level) and +1.14 dB SNR to 42.07 dB SPL and -4.45 dB SNR. Adolescents aged 10 to 17 improved in WRS from 12.78 to 84.71% and in SRT in quiet and in noise respectively from 63.96 dB SPL and +3.32 dB SNR to 35.31 dB SPL and -4.55 dB SNR.

CONCLUSIONS: The AMEI, under investigation, is a safe treatment for children and adolescents, and significantly improved audiological performance that remains stable on the long-term scale (up to 36 mo postimplantation). In general, all adult-related issues and questions regarding safety and performance can also be applied to the pediatric population, as no apparent specific issues developed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1059-1067
Number of pages9
JournalOtology and Neurotology
Volume40
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Sept 2019

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Hearing
  • Hearing Aids
  • Hearing Loss/therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Otologic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects
  • Postoperative Complications/epidemiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Speech Intelligibility
  • Speech Perception
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Mixed hearing loss
  • Conductive hearing loss
  • Vibrant soundbridge
  • AMEI
  • Child pre school
  • Auralatresia
  • Children
  • Speech reception threshold test
  • Vibroplasty
  • VSB
  • Couplers
  • Signal-to-noise ratio
  • Prospective studies
  • Ossicular prosthesis
  • Age factors
  • Kids
  • Tympanoplasty
  • Pediatric
  • Middle ear implant

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology (clinical)
  • Sensory Systems
  • Otorhinolaryngology

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