Research on coupling effects of actuator and round window membrane on reverse stimulation of human cochlea

2021 ◽  
pp. 095441192098796
Author(s):  
Lin Xue ◽  
Houguang Liu ◽  
Jianhua Yang ◽  
Songyong Liu ◽  
Yu Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Coupling Effect ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Ossicular Chain ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Coupling Impedance ◽  
Coupling Condition ◽  
Impedance Model ◽  
Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Human Ear

An active actuator of a middle-ear implant coupled to the round window membrane (RWM), which transmits vibration to the cochlea, has been used to compensate for hearing loss in patients. However, various factors affect the coupling condition between the actuator and the RWM, resulting in coupling leakage. In this study, a coupling impedance model of the human ear and the actuator was used to investigate the effect of inefficient coupling during reverse stimulation. First, the three-port circuit network model of the actuator was coupled with the acoustic impedance model of human ear reverse sound transmission. Meanwhile, the inefficient coupling impedance was estimated. Then, the effect of the actuator’s coupling on reverse stimulation was studied by comparing the reverse pressure transfer function. Furthermore, the inefficient coupling’s influence in the ear with middle-ear disorder was also investigated by simulating two typical forms of middle-ear disorder: otosclerosis and ossicular chain disarticulation. The results show that the change of the inefficient coupling impedance plays a significant role during reverse stimulation. Inefficient coupling of the actuator and the RWM deteriorates the cochlear response of reverse stimulation over the entire frequency range. Additionally, the coupling effect of the actuator does not change the influence tendency of middle-ear disorder on reverse stimulation’s performance, but changes the response amplitude of the reverse stimulation.

Application of the Vibrant Soundbridge middle-ear implant for aural atresia in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome

2012 ◽  
Vol 126 (12) ◽  
pp. 1216-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Lesinskas ◽  
V Stankeviciute ◽  
M Petrulionis
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Treacher Collins Syndrome ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Vibrant Soundbridge ◽  
Aural Atresia ◽  
Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Radiological Score ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Functional Gain

AbstractObjective:To present results for the auditory rehabilitation of patients with Treacher Collins syndrome with bilateral osseous atresia, using middle-ear implantation with a Vibrant Soundbridge.Methods:Three patients underwent vibroplasty for aural atresia with moderate to severe conductive hearing loss. The pre-operative Jahrsdoerfer radiological score was 4 for all patients. Patients underwent active middle-ear implantation of a Vibrant Soundbridge implant (coupling the floating mass transducer to the rudimentary stapes or footplate distally, and positioning it adjacent to the round window membrane proximally), with audiological analysis as follow up.Results:After implant activation, the mean air conduction threshold ± standard deviation decreased to 22.8 ± 5.5 dB HL, representing a mean functional gain of 44.5 dB. The mean word recognition score (for bisyllabic words at 65 dB SPL) increased from 0 to 97 per cent.Conclusion:Vibrant Soundbridge implantation is an effective hearing rehabilitation procedure in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome with bilateral osseous atresia. This is a versatile implant which can achieve coupling even in cases of severe middle-ear malformation.

scholarly journals Numerical Study and Optimization of a Novel Piezoelectric Transducer for a Round-Window Stimulating Type Middle-Ear Implant

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houguang Liu ◽  
Hehe Wang ◽  
Zhushi Rao ◽  
Jianhua Yang ◽  
Shanguo Yang
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Piezoelectric Transducer ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
Human Ear

Round window (RW) stimulation is a new application of middle ear implants for treating hearing loss, especially for those with middle ear disease. However, most reports on it are based on the use of the floating mass transducer (FMT), which was not originally designed for round window stimulation. The mismatch of the FMT’s diameter and the round window membrane’s diameter and the uncontrollable preload of the transducer, leads to a high variability in its clinical outcomes. Accordingly, a new piezoelectric transducer for the round-window-stimulating-type middle ear implant is proposed in this paper. The transducer consists of a piezoelectric stack, a flextensional amplifier, a coupling rod, a salver, a plate, a titanium housing and a supporting spring. Based on a constructed coupling finite element model of the human ear and the transducer, the influences of the transducer design parameters on its performance were analyzed. The optimal structure of the supporting spring, which determines the transducer’s resonance frequency, was ascertained. The results demonstrate that our designed transducer generates better output than the FMT, especially at low frequency. Besides this, the power consumption of the transducer was significantly decreased compared with a recently reported RW-stimulating piezoelectric transducer.

Role of the Round Window Membrane in Middle Ear Immune Responses

1988 ◽  
Vol 105 (sup457) ◽  
pp. 139-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Keithley ◽  
A. F. Ryan ◽  
J. P. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Round Window Membrane

Round window application of an active middle ear implant (AMEI) system in congenital oval window atresia

2015 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shouqin Zhao ◽  
Shusheng Gong ◽  
Demin Han ◽  
Hua Zhang ◽  
Xiaobo Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Oval Window ◽  
Active Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Middle Ear Implant

Influence of ossicular chain malformation on the performance of round-window stimulation: A finite element approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (5) ◽  
pp. 584-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houguang Liu ◽  
Hu Zhang ◽  
Jianhua Yang ◽  
Xinsheng Huang ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Basilar Membrane ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Ossicular Chain ◽  
Asymmetric Structure ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Stapes Fixation

As a novel application of implantable middle ear hearing device, round-window stimulation is widely used to treat hearing loss with middle ear disease, such as ossicular chain malformation. To evaluate the influence of ossicular chain malformations on the efficiency of the round-window stimulation, a human ear finite element model, which incorporates cochlear asymmetric structure, was constructed. Five groups of comparison with experimental data confirmed the model’s validity. Based on this model, we investigated the influence of three categories of ossicular chain malformations, that is, incudostapedial disconnection, incus and malleus fixation, and fixation of the stapes. These malformations’ effects were evaluated by comparing the equivalent sound pressures derived from the basilar membrane displacement. Results show that the studied ossicular chain malformations mainly affected the round-window simulation’s performance at low frequencies. In contrast to the fixation of the ossicles, which mainly deteriorates round-window simulation’s low-frequency performance, incudostapedial disconnection increases this performance, especially in the absence of incus process and stapes superstructure. Among the studied ossicular chain malformations, the stapes fixation has a much more severe impact on the round-window stimulation’s efficiency. Thus, the influence of the patients’ ossicular chain malformations should be considered in the design of the round-window stimulation’s actuator. The low-frequency output of the round-window simulation’s actuator should be enhanced, especially for treating the patients with stapes fixation.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Round Window Stimulation Performance in Otosclerosis Using Finite Element Modeling

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanguo Yang ◽  
Dan Xu ◽  
Xiaole Liu
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Bone Growth ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Annular Ligament ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Sound Stimulation ◽  
Partial Fixation ◽  
Human Ear

Round window (RW) stimulation is a new type of middle ear implant’s application for treating patients with middle ear disease, such as otosclerosis. However, clinical outcomes show a substantial degree of variability. One source of variability is the variation in the material properties of the ear components caused by the disease. To investigate the influence of the otosclerosis on the performance of the RW stimulation, a human ear finite element model including middle ear and cochlea was established based on a set of microcomputerized tomography section images of a human temporal bone. Three characteristic changes of the otosclerosis in the auditory system were simulated in the FE model: stapedial annular ligament stiffness enlargement, stapedial abnormal bone growth, and partial fixation of the malleus. The FE model was verified by comparing the model-predicted results with published experimental measurements. The equivalent sound pressure (ESP) of RW stimulation was calculated via comparing the differential intracochlear pressure produced by the RW stimulation and the normal eardrum sound stimulation. The results show that the increase of stapedial annular ligament and partial fixation of the malleus decreases RW stimulation’s ESP prominently at lower frequencies. In contrast, the stapedial abnormal bone growth deteriorates RW stimulation’s ESP severely at higher frequencies.

Interposed Cartilage as a Precaution against Extrusions of Ceramic Ossicular Replacement Implants

1987 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Zöllner
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Ossicular Chain ◽  
Oxide Ceramic ◽  
Small Disk ◽  
Middle Ear Implant ◽  
Ossicular Replacement ◽  
Middle Ear Implants ◽  
Aluminum Oxide Ceramic ◽  
Postoperative Observation

Since 1980 we have used middle ear implants of aluminum oxide ceramic in some reconstructions of the ossicular chain. We had opportunities to examine 108 ears (91 patients); the longest period of postoperative observation was 4 years. Follow-up examinations showed that the rates of extrusion and liability to extrusion can be reduced by interposing a small disk of autologous cartilage and perichondrium. Moreover, interposing cartilage tends to improve audiometric results. On the basis of our study, we strongly recommend the interposition of a disk of autologous cartilage and perichondrium between the middle ear implant and eardrum when an Al2O3 implant is used.

Rupture of the round Window Membrane

1976 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. H. Taylor ◽  
P. G. Bicknell
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ear ◽  
Surgical Intervention ◽  
Round Window ◽  
Oval Window ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Physical Effort ◽  
Cochlear Aqueduct ◽  
Definite Improvement ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pressure Changes

A case of sudden deafness due to rupture of the round window membrane is presented. Nineteen similar cases have previously been reported in the literature. In a review of these twenty patients, it is noted that a history of concurrent physical effort or barotrauma was present in eighteen. This supports the view that the injury is produced by pressure changes acting either along the cochlear aqueduct (the explosive route) or, directly on the middle ear structures (the implosive route). At operation, the rupture may be difficult to see, and a separate leak from the oval window may be present. The timing of any surgical intervention is important. The authors recommend that this should be deferred for one week after the onset of symptoms, as the fistula may heal spontaneously. If no definite improvement has occurred at the end of this time, then tympanotomy should be undertaken during the next week.

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