Burovikhin D, Lauxmann M
Reutlingen Research Institute, Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany.
Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany.
Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng. 2025 Feb;41(2):e70013. doi: 10.1002/cnm.70013.
In order to evaluate the performance of different types of middle-ear prostheses, a model of human ear was developed. The model was created using finite element (FE) method with the ossicles modeled as rigid bodies. First, the middle-ear FE model was developed and validated using the middle-ear transfer function measurements available in literature including pathological cases. Then, the inner-ear FE model was developed and validated using tonotopy, impedance, and relative BM motion level curves from literature. Both models are based on preexisting research with some improvements and were combined into one coupled FE model. The stapes in the coupled FE ear model was replaced with a model of a stapes prosthesis to create a reconstructed ear model that can be used to estimate how different types of stapes protheses perform relative to each other as well as to the natural ear. The influence of the diameter of the prosthesis as well as the influence of the sealing and opening of the gap in the footplate were investigated along with different measures such as maximum basilar membrane displacement, intracochlear pressure, pressure in scala vestibuli, oval and round window volume displacements, and prosthesis displacement. This will help in designing new innovative types of stapes prostheses or any other type of middle-ear prostheses, as well as to improve the ones that are already available on the market.
为了评估不同类型中耳假体的性能，开发了一种人耳模型。该模型采用有限元（FE）方法创建，听小骨被建模为刚体。首先，利用文献中包括病理病例在内的中耳传递函数测量数据开发并验证了中耳有限元模型。然后，利用文献中的音调拓扑、阻抗和相对基底膜运动水平曲线开发并验证了内耳有限元模型。这两个模型均基于先前的研究并有所改进，随后被合并为一个耦合有限元模型。在耦合有限元耳模型中，将镫骨替换为镫骨假体模型，以创建一个重建耳模型，该模型可用于估计不同类型的镫骨假体相对于彼此以及自然耳的性能。研究了假体直径的影响以及镫骨足板间隙密封和开口的影响，并结合了最大基底膜位移、蜗内压力、前庭阶压力、椭圆窗和圆窗体积位移以及假体位移等不同测量指标。这将有助于设计新型创新型镫骨假体或任何其他类型的中耳假体，并改进市场上现有的产品。
