title: Historical development of active middle ear implants.
abstract: Active middle ear implants (AMEIs) are sophisticated technologies designed to overcome many of the shortcomings of conventional hearing aids, including feedback, distortion, and occlusion effect. Three AMEIs are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for implantation in patients with sensorineural hearing loss. In this article, the history of AMEI technologies is reviewed, individual component development is outlined, past and current implant systems are described, and design and implementation successes and dead ends are highlighted. Past and ongoing challenges facing AMEI development are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Bill Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology & Communication Sciences, 7209 Medical Center East, South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232-8605. Electronic address: david.haynes@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Haynes
mesh_terms: D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000266:history*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis / Q000266:history*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000266:history*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers / Q000266:history*
keywords: Hearing rehabilitation; Implantable hearing aids; Middle ear implant(s); Sensorineural hearing loss