title: Mastoid cavity obliteration and Vibrant Soundbridge implantation for patients with mixed hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the results of obliteration of a preexisting mastoid cavity with abdominal fat and Vibrant Soundbridge implantation in patients with mixed hearing loss (MHL) and to compare the data with results of Vibrant Soundbridge implantation in patients with MHL without mastoid cavity and with pure sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart analysis of 10 patients (10 ears) with MHL and preexisting mastoid cavity, 18 patients (19 ears) with MHL alone and nine patients (10 ears) with SNHL treated in one tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vibrant Soundbridge implantation and obliteration in case a mastoid cavity existed previously. Pure tone audiometry (average air-bone gap, average functional gain), speech audiometry (Freiburg Monosyllabic Test) and complication rate were main outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative average air-bone gap was -15.1 ± 21.2 dB in patients with MHL with mastoid cavity obliteration, -7.2 ± 11.4 dB in patients with MHL without mastoid cavity, and -5.7 ± 11.2 dB in patients with SNHL. Average functional gain was 40.0 ± 23.5 dB, 39.7 ± 12.1 dB, and 9.5 ± 10.6 dB. Postoperative speech discrimination rate was 77.9 ± 20.8%, 83.3 ± 13.6%, and 83.6 ± 6.3%. No severe intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mastoid cavity obliteration during Vibrant Soundbridge implantation in patients with MHL and preexisting mastoid cavity is a safe procedure. The audiometric results are satisfying and comparable to those of other patient groups implanted with the same device.
  
  
  METHODS
  4.
authors.affiliation: Department for Otolaryngology, University of Göttingen Medical Center, Germany.
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ihler
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strenzke
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matthias
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canis
mesh_terms: D001299:Audiometry; D005260:Female; D046089:Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Middle ear; audiometry; mastoid bone; ossicular replacement; otologic surgical procedures; prosthesis implantation