Ten years of active middle ear implantation for sensorineural hearing loss
Objectives: 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. Methods: 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.