A middle ear implant is used when an external hearing aid is not sufficient and the implantation of a cochlear implant, i.e. an inner ear prosthesis, is too aggressive.
"The device is surgically implanted into the skull bone to amplify the function of the ossicles. This provides better sound conduction than an external hearing aid," Prof. Witold Szyfter, head of the Department of Otolaryngology and Laryngological Oncology at the Medical University of Poznań, explained to PAP.
The implant was inserted in a 63-year-old man from Koszalin who had been losing his hearing for 15 years. His hearing loss had worsened to such an extent that even the use of two hearing aids no longer allowed him to lead a normal life.
The operation took about four hours, and the preparations took a month. The surgeons practised the procedure on special bone preparations. The device was inserted into the cochlea of the middle ear and connected to the so-called round window – the point that separates the middle ear from the inner ear. The implant directly stimulates the auditory cells.
Prof. Szyfter said that three similar operations have been performed in Poland to date and that the use of the implant is a novelty in Europe. "There is a possibility that the implant will be financed by the National Health Fund (NFZ). These operations will also become increasingly popular throughout Europe as more institutions seek to reimburse the cost of the device," he added.
Until now, the implant cost around PLN 100,000. Now, a new device has been launched on the market that costs three times less – a patient from Koszalin received such an implant.
"I am convinced that we will now perform such operations much more frequently. Our society is ageing, and one of the consequences is the emergence of a number of physical ailments, including hearing loss. A hearing aid is not always sufficient. Now we have another tool that can help patients," emphasised the doctor.
It was the first middle ear implant surgery performed by the clinic in Poznań.
Author: PAP
15 April 2015
