Barbara Maurizio, Filippi Chiara, Covelli Edoardo, Volpini Luigi, Monini Simonetta
a ENT Clinic, NESMOS Department, Medicine and Psychology , Sapienza University , Rome , Italy.
Acta Otolaryngol. 2018 Sep;138(9):807-814. doi: 10.1080/00016489.2018.1472807. Epub 2018 May 31.
To evaluate long-term benefits of a totally implantable active middle ear implant (AMEI) that has been used in a single implanting center for over 10 years.
Forty-one subjects who underwent implantation with an Esteem AMEI during a 10-years period were evaluated on the auditory benefits, as derived from pure tone and speech audiometry tests. The analysis included a comparison with a conventional hearing aid, the problematics related to the battery duration and surgical replacement and, finally, the complication rate.
Over 80% of the implanted subjects maintained over time a satisfactory auditory gain, ranging from 10 to over 30 dB in respect to the unaided situation, as mean at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. In more than 60% of them, an improvement has also been found at 4 and 8 kHz. Battery duration varied according to the severity of the hearing loss and to the daily use of the device. No major post-operative complications were recorded, whilst explantation was necessary in five subjects, although none for device failure.
The Esteem can be considered a reliable device for rehabilitation of sensorineural hearing loss in alternative to conventional hearing aids.
评估一种在单一植入中心使用超过10年的完全植入式有源中耳植入物（AMEI）的长期益处。
对在10年期间接受Esteem AMEI植入的41名受试者进行了纯音和言语测听测试，以评估听觉益处。分析包括与传统助听器的比较、与电池续航时间和手术更换相关的问题，以及最终的并发症发生率。
超过80%的植入受试者随着时间的推移保持了令人满意的听觉增益，相对于未使用助听器的情况，在0.5、1、2和4kHz时平均增益为10至超过30dB。其中超过60%的受试者在4和8kHz时也有改善。电池续航时间根据听力损失的严重程度和设备的日常使用情况而有所不同。未记录到重大术后并发症，尽管没有因设备故障而进行的，但有5名受试者需要取出植入物。
与传统助听器相比，Esteem可被认为是一种用于感音神经性听力损失康复的可靠设备。
