Who can have a Middle Ear Implantable Hearing Device?
The middle ear devices are indicated for use in adults (18 years of age or older) who desire an alternative to an acoustic hearing aid. Audiologic results must be consistent with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, normal middle ear anatomy and aided speech recognition scores of at least 50% at 65 dB SPL (using recorded open-set word tests). Candidates should have had experience with an appropriately fitted acoustic hearing aid and expressed dissatisfaction with issues related to acoustic hearing aid use. During assessment for a middle ear device, otologic examination will be performed to verify the absence of any ear disease. Other medical tests may be conducted to ensure that the patient is able to undergo surgery without risks to general health.. What is involved in the surgical procedure? The surgical procedure is done under general anaesthesia and usually takes less than three hours. The initial part of the operation is similar to that of a cochlear implant; the mastoid b
