Clinical protocol to candidate selection to middle ear implants

• Grant number: 10/50097-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2010
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Oswaldo Laércio Mendonça Cruz
• Grantee: Oswaldo Laércio Mendonça Cruz
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Middle ear implants (MEI) are hearing devices surgically implanted in the ear. They are used in the rehabilitation of patients with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Currently, in our country, these patients are only rehabilitated by Conventional Hearing Aid (CHA). Comparatively with CHA, MEI papers show many advantages: sound and speech quality improve, mostly in background noise beyond, high-frequency transmission fidelity, absence of occlusion effects and comfort. The main object of this research is to present and evaluate a clinical protocol of candidate selection, defining clinical and audiological patterns of indication to MEL We will select in our hospital data-base 200 adults patients, CHA users for more than 2 years, with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. The results will be analyzed to make a selection criteria for implantation in our country and compare it to international criteria of candidate selection. (AU)