Device Offers Effective Alternative to Middle Ear Surgery, Hearing Aids

What advantages, if any, does the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) offer in the hearing performance of people with mixed and conductive hearing impairment?

Background: The previous treatment strategy for patients with mixed and conductive hearing impairment consisted of middle ear surgery with replacement of defective ossicles and, if possible, the fitting of a hearing aid. Since then, different coupling techniques (vibroplasty) have been developed to adapt middle ear implants (MEIs) to nearly every pathophysiological situation and to restore hearing by residual hearing amplification.

Study design: Retrospective selection and data extraction from 34 studies published between January 2006 and April 2014.

Setting: PubMed, OvidSP (MEDLINE), Embase (DIMDI), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (including the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and Health Technology Assessment), and the Cochrane Library.

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