A Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis With a Concentric Ball Joint in the Headplate

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader A Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis With a Concentric Ball Joint in the Headplate via The Laryngoscope This study focuses on the development of the mCLIP ARC Partial Prosthesis, a new partial middle-ear prosthesis featuring a balanced, centered ball joint. The ball joint allows the headplate to adapt to the individual anatomical features of the reconstructed tympanic membrane and facilitates intraoperative handling. Objective In passive middle ear prosthetics, rigid implants have proven successful in reconstructing the ossicular chain. However, these cannot fully replicate the physiology of the ossicular chain. Pressure fluctuations cause high stresses in rigid passive prostheses, which can result in dislocation, protrusion, and pre-tension in the annular ligament resulting in unsatisfactory hearing results. Methods In collaboration with MED-EL, we developed a new passive middle ear prosthesis that features a balanced, centered ball joint between the headplate and shaft of the prosthesis. We compared the sound transmission properties of this new prosthesis with those of a standard rigid prosthesis. Using Laser-Doppler-Vibrometry, we measured the sound-induced velocity of the stapes footplate relative to a given acoustic stimulus. Results The new prosthesis showed equivalent sound transmission characteristics compared to the rigid prosthesis, whereas retaining the ability to compensate for pressure fluctuations due to its ball joint. This ensures good transmission properties even during displacements of the tympanic membrane. Conclusion This development is a further step toward a physiological reconstruction of the ossicular chain. Level of Evidence N/A Laryngoscope, 2022 View on Web

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