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The motion of conventional and novel total ossicular replacement prostheses during changes in static pressure
Robert Mills1, Marek Zadrozniak, Zhang Jie
1Otolaryngology Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. r.mills@ed.ac.uk
Purpose:
To investigate the motion of prostheses used to reconstruct ears with an absent stapes arch.
Study Design:
We have studied the motion of conventional total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORPs) and a novel incus-stapes replica prosthesis (ISRP), which connects the malleus head to the footplate, during changes in middle ear pressure (+400 to -400 dPa) in fresh human temporal bones using digital video clips and photographs. The pressure in the (sealed) external auditory meatus was varied using a manual tympanometer. The displacements of the prostheses in the medial to lateral plane have been measured using the dimensioning tool of Corel Draw.
Results:
During changes in static pressure, TORPs move more in the lateral to medial plane than ISRPs. The motion of ISRPs is similar to that of the intact ossicular chain.
Conclusion:
The ISRP design is less likely to damage the cochlea during changes in static pressure than a conventional TORP, but the maximum medial displacement of the TORPs studied was less than 0.1 mm.
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