Nearly three thousand people in Spain have heard again thanks to a osseointegrated implant. However, and even more so if we compare it with the cochlear implant, this hearing solution is still quite unknown to the general population. Thanks to this type of implant, The sound is transmitted through bone conduction, without having to force the ear canal, but in what cases is it recommended? In the following post we explain how it works and who it is recommended for.
The osseointegrated implant comes into play when problems occur in the external ear or half that prevent sound from reaching the interior. In these cases, traditional hearing aids must use so much amplification that the sound is distorted.
With this type of device it is not necessary to force the sound to pass through the external auditory canal, since the natural capacity of the temporal bone is usedlocated in the skull, to transmit sound through bone vibration. Thus, it reaches directly to the inner ear, making it easier for the signal to be received in a clear, safe way (there is no surgery of the hearing organ), without interruptions and with total comfort for the patient, since it is barely noticeable that they are wearing the device.
An osseointegrated implant consists of Two parts: a little titanium implant located in the bone behind the ear and a sound processor attached to the implant.
How does an osseointegrated implant work?
He functioning of an osseointegrated implant is explained in three steps:
- He processor Sound picks up sound and converts it into sound vibrations.
- The processor sends these vibrations to the implant to which it is connected.
- He implantwhich is attached to the bone (osseointegration) transfers these vibrations directly to the inner ear (cochlea) without passing through the outer or middle ear. And thanks to this direct connection between the sound processor and the bone through the implant, the sound is clearer, since the skin does not dampen sound vibrations.
For whom is the osseointegrated implant recommended?
There are three types of hearing loss or hearing loss for which this type of implant may be the most appropriate:
Sensorineural hearing loss in one ear:
This is the most common type of hearing loss and is due to problems in the inner ear or nerve pathways. Although sound transmission through the outer and middle ear to the inner ear may be normal, information cannot be encoded into electrical signals that the brain can use.
Conductive hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss is caused by a blocking sound transmission through the outer ear or middle ear. This blockage can be caused by chronic otitis media, otosclerosis (calcification that reduces the mobility of the stapes), external ear malformations either perforated eardrum.
Mixed hearing loss due to infections and malformations:
This type of hearing loss is a combination between conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. A chronic infection could, for example, cause mixed hearing loss if it damages the eardrum and ossicles, preventing the cochlea from working properly.
