Evaluation of Vibrant® Soundbridge™ positioning and results with laser doppler vibrometry and the finite element model

Mocanu,Horia; Bornitz,Matthias; Lasurashvili,Nicoloz; Zahnert,Thomas

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.9694

Evaluation of Vibrant® Soundbridge™ positioning and results with laser doppler vibrometry and the finite element model

Authors:
- Horia Mocanu
- Matthias Bornitz
- Nicoloz Lasurashvili
- Thomas Zahnert
View Affiliations

Affiliations: Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Titu Maiorescu University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
Published online on: January 25, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9694
Article Number: 262
Copyright: © Mocanu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Metrics: Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Cited By (CrossRef): 0 citations Loading Articles...

Abstract

The etiology of hearing loss originates from genetic factors and includes several other events including infections, working or living environment, as well as several endocrine and metabolic disorders. The Vibrant^® Soundbridge™ (VSB) is an implantable hearing aid whose floating mass transducer (FMT) is attached to the long process of the incus. The device is used for pure sensorineural hearing loss with an intact middle ear. Variations in the manner of attachment may occur. Knowledge of the impact of such variations on the overall device performance may guide towards optimal transducer attachment during surgery. A mechanical modelling of the ear was first reported by von Békésy and indicated that the tympanic membrane (TM) moves as a stiff plate, and that the mallear and incudal ligaments act as a rotation axis for the ossicular chain at low frequencies. Experimental investigations and simulations with the model yield the same main results. The first fitting situation, where the FMT floats freely in the middle ear, provides by far the worst possible results. Contact to the stapes supra‑structure of the FMT is necessary for optimal performance of the FMT. The mastoid specimen preserves its acoustic properties that have been shown to be similar to those in the vital human ear, under these conditions. Properly coupling the electromagnetic transducer to the ossicles can be difficult and it requires a certain degree of experience. A finite‑element model (FEM) is useful for functional evaluation of the VSB since it enables easy modelling of the complicated middle ear structures and simulation of their dynamic behavior which makes it easy to understand it in detail without experiments.

View Figures

View References

1	Prendergast PJ, Ferris P, Rice HJ and Blayney AW: Vibro-acoustic modelling of the outer and middle ear using the finite-element method. Audiol Neurotol. 4:185–191. 1999.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
2	Lighthill J: Biomechanics of hearing sensitivity. J Vib Acoust. 113:1–13. 1991.
3	von Békésy G: Experiments in Hearing. Mc-Graw-Hill, New York, NY, 1960.
4	Stinson MR: The spatial distribution of sound pressure within scaled replicas of the human ear canal. J Acoust Soc Am. 78:1596–1602. 1985.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
5	Zwislocki JJ: Analysis of middle-ear function. J Acoust Soc Am. 34:1514–1523. 1962.
6	Zwislocki JJ: Normal function of the middle ear and its measurement. Audiology. 21:4–14. 1982.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
7	Funnell WR and Laszlo CA: Modeling of the cat eardrum as a thin shell using the finite-element method. J Acoust Soc Am. 63:1461–1467. 1978.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
8	Williams KR and Lesser TH: A finite element analysis of the natural frequencies of vibration of the human tympanic membrane. Part I. Br J Audiol. 24:319–327. 1990.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
9	Trifu S: Neuroendocrine insights into burnout syndrome. Acta Endocrinol (Bucur). 15:404–405. 2019.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
10	Trifu S, Vladuti A and Popescu A: Neuroendocrine aspects of pregnancy and postpartum depression. Acta Endocrinol (Bucur). 15:410–415. 2019.
11	Monsell EM: The mechanism of hearing loss in Paget's disease of bone. Laryngoscope. 114:598–606. 2004.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
12	Mocanu H: The role of perinatal hearing screening in the normal development of the Infant's language. In: Debating Globalization. Identity, Nation and Dialogue. 4th edition. Boldea I and Sigmirean C (eds). Arhipeleag XXI Press, Tirgu Mures, pp562-569, 2017.
13	Mocanu H: The economic impact of early diagnosis of congenital hearing loss. In: Debating Globalization. Identity, Nation and Dialogue. 4th edition. Boldea I and Sigmirean C (eds). Arhipeleag XXI Press, Tirgu Mures, pp556-561, 2017.
14	Mocanu H and Oncioiu I: The influence of clinical and environmental risk factors in the etiology of congenital sensorineural hearing loss in the Romanian population. Iran J Public Health. 48:2301–2303. 2019.PubMed/NCBI
15	Bornitz M, Hardtke HJ and Zahnert T: Evaluation of implantable actuators by means of a middle ear simulation model. Hear Res. 263:145–151. 2010.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
16	Neudert M, Bornitz M, Mocanu H, Lasurashvili N, Beleites T, Offergeld C and Zahnert T: Feasibility study of a mechanical Real-time feedback system for optimizing the sound transfer in the reconstructed middle Ear. Otol Neurotol. 39:e907–e920. 2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
17	Schuknecht HF: Pathology of the Ear (Commonwealth Fund Publications). Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1974.
18	Prendergast PJ: Finite element models in tissue mechanics and orthopaedic implant design. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon). 12:343–366. 1997.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
19	Zahnert T, Schmidt R, Hüttenbrink KB and Hardtke HJ: F-E simulation of the Dresden middle-ear prosthesis. In: Middle-Ear Mechanics in Research and Otosurgery. Hüttenbrink KB (eds). University of Technology, Dresden, pp200-206, 1997.
20	Alecu I, Mocanu H and Călin IE: Intellectual mobility in higher education system. Rom J Mil Med. 120:16–21. 2017.
21	Lesser TH, Williams KR and Blayney AW: Mechanics and materials in middle ear reconstruction. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 16:29–32. 1991.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
22	Wada H, Metoki T and Kobayashi T: Analysis of dynamic behavior of human middle ear using a finite-element method. J Acoust Soc Am. 92:3157–3168. 1992.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
23	Williams KR and Lesser TH: A dynamic and natural frequency analysis of the Fisch II spandrel using the finite element method. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 17:261–270. 1992.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
24	Ladak HM and Funnell WR: Finite-element modeling of the normal and surgically repaired cat middle ear. J Acoust Soc Am. 100:933–944. 1996.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
25	Koike T, Wada H and Kobayashi T: Modeling of the human middle ear using the finite-element method. J Acoust Soc Am. 111:1306–1317. 2002.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
26	Beer HJ, Bornitz M, Drescher J, Schmidt R, Hardtke HJ, Hofmann G, Vogel U, Zahnert T and Hüttenbrink KB: Finite element modelling of the human eardrum and applications. In: Middle Ear Mechanics in Research and Otosurgery. Hüttenbrink KB (ed). Proceedings of the International Workshop on Middle Ear Mechanics, Dresden, pp40-47, 1997.
27	Williams KR, Blayney AW and Lesser TH: Mode shapes of a damaged and repaired tympanic membrane as analysed by the finite element method. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 22:126–131. 1997.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
28	Eiber A: Mechanical modeling and dynamical investigation of middle ear. In: Middle-Ear Mechanics in Research and Otosurgery. Hüttenbrink KB (ed). Proceedings of the International Workshop on Middle Ear Mechanics, Dresden, pp61-66, 1997.
29	Eiber A: Mechanical modeling and dynamical behavior of the human middle ear. Audiol Neurotol. 4:170–177. 1999.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
30	Blayney AW, Williams KR and Rice HJ: A dynamic and harmonic damped finite element analysis model of stapedotomy. Acta Otolaryngol. 117:269–273. 1997.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar