A middle ear implantable hearing device for controlled amplification of sound in the human: a preliminary report.

Millions of people in the United States suffer from hearing impairment that is not benefited or poorly benefited by surgery or conventional hearing aids. Recently, we introduced an implantable Temporal Bone Stimulator (TBS) designed for those patients having a hearing loss due to external canal conditions; such as, external canal atresia or disease, inoperable ossicular problems, atelectasis or eustachian tube malfunction, and chronic open-cavity mastoid disease. This device requires relatively good cochlear function. However, the electromagnetic application of this device has led to the development of a new device we call the Implantable Hearing Device (IHD). This device stimulates, by an electromagnetic field, an independent electromagnetic sensitive prosthesis attached to the ossicular chain. This direct energy transfer to the ossicular chain provides a high degree of sound amplification and fidelity, thus providing benefit for those with various degrees of sensorineural hearing impairment. Preliminary disclosure of the device design, the animal experimental results, and the data from human testing will be given.