Hearing rehabilitation and microbial shift after middle ear surgery with Vibrant Soundbridge in patients with chronic otitis media

• DOI: 10.1007/s00405-022-07795-9
• Publication Date: 2023-01-20T07:47:18Z
• Authors: Karl-Ludwig Bruch...; Mariia Lupatsii; Friederike Möllen...; David Leffers; Arwa Kurabi; Tim Jürgens; Simon Graspeuntner; Daniela Hollfelder; Anke Leichtle
• Keywords: Quality of life; Active middle ear implant; Adult; Clinical Sciences; Ear, Middle; Bioengineering; Clinical sciences; Otology; Hearing restoration; Vibrant Soundbridge; Middle; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Hearing; Clinical Research; Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural; VSB; Humans; Microbial colonization; Child; Hearing Loss; Otitis media; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural; Pediatric; Assistive Technology; Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Rehabilitation; Ear; Hearing loss; 3. Good health; Ossicular Prosthesis; Otitis Media; Infectious Diseases; Treatment Outcome; Otorhinolaryngology; Microbiome

Patients with otitis media (OM) encounter significant functional hearing impairment conductive, or a combined loss and long-term sequelae involving impaired speech/language development in children, reduced academic achievement irreversible disorders of middle inner ear requiring long time therapy and/or multiple surgeries. In its persistent chronic form, Otitis (COM) can often only be treated by undergoing surgery for restoration. The inflammatory reaction plays major role, caused multi-resistant pathogens the ear. Herein, we present outcomes patients implanted currently FDA approved active Middle Ear Implant Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB), suffering from COM.The study enrolled 42 patients, performing (ME) to different extents VSB various structures ME. Included were 17 children 25 adults that had recurrent persisting OM loss. Preoperative postoperative patients' audiometric data evaluated benefit assessed using Glasgow Benefit Inventory pediatric cohorts. microbial spectrum was before after surgery, exploring colonization otopathogens, as well intestinal microbiome individually burdened patients.The mean gain is 29.7 dB HL (range 10 56.2 HL) improvement speech intelligibility quiet. Following implantation, no differences coupling observed at low complication rates. Postoperatively showed significantly increased compared untreated situation, including less otorrhea, pain, medical visits, medication intake, bacterial shift otopathogens. analysis displayed high abundance strains might linked inflammation.Functional rehabilitation COM safe effective. successful acceptance accompanied improved audiological performance resulted VSB, altered thus great opportunity treated.