title: Round window vibroplasty in chronic ear surgery: comparison with conventional hearing rehabilitation.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Functional hearing results with round window vibroplasty in chronically disabled middle ears were comparable and, at high frequencies, superior to the results achieved with previously used conventional hearing aids even after extended surgery. Soft tissue transfer appears to be more important than floating mass transducer (FMT) alignment with the round window membrane (RWM) for efficient coupling or sonoinversion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the functional hearing results of an active middle ear implant (AMEI) to the round window niche (RWN). The results were compared with previously used conventional hearing aids. The position of the FMT was determined by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study carried out in a tertiary referral center. Seven patients with severe middle ear disease were implanted with an AMEI with round window application. The postoperative hearing outcome was compared with preoperative hearing using unaided and conventionally aided conditions. The results were correlated with the physical/geometric relation of the FMT to the RWM as determined with CBCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dislocation of the FMT was not observed. One patient was re-implanted due to accidental damage to the electrode. In all patients, the pertinent functional hearing results were achieved and were comparable to previous rehabilitation results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. lennart.edfeldt@akademiska.se
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edfeldt
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rask-Andersen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001299:Audiometry; D002908:Chronic Disease; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis; D019933:Ossicular Replacement / Q000379:methods*; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*