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Published on: February 29, 2020
Vibrant soundbridge in aural atresia: does severity matter?
B J McKinnon1, T Dumon, R Hagen
1Otology/Neurotology, Shea Ear Clinic, 6133 Poplar Pike, Memphis, TN, 38119, USA.
Summary
Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) implantation shows promising results for congenital aural atresia (CAA) patients, offering an alternative amplification solution. Current scoring systems do not reliably predict outcomes for VSB in CAA management.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Audiology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Congenital aural atresia (CAA) presents surgical challenges, with bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) and Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) considered alternatives to atresiaplasty.
- Previous guidelines advised against VSB implantation for scores below 8, but recent data suggests potential benefits for lower scores.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the outcomes of Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) implantation in patients with congenital aural atresia (CAA).
- To evaluate the correlation between atresia severity scoring systems and VSB outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Multi-center, retrospective review of 28 patients with CAA who underwent VSB implantation.
- Analysis of demographic, clinical, implant, and audiological data.
- Evaluation of outcomes using Jahrsdoerfer and Yellon-Branstetter scoring systems.
Main Results:
- No iatrogenic facial nerve injuries or changes in bone thresholds were observed.
- Post-operative audiological outcomes included a speech threshold of 39 dB and 94% speech recognition.
- Jahrsdoerfer and Yellon scores (4-9 and 4-12, respectively) did not correlate with or predict outcomes.
Conclusions:
- VSB implantation is a viable option for amplification in surgically complex CAA cases, offering an alternative to atresiaplasty and BAHA.
- Current scoring systems (Jahrsdoerfer, Yellon-Branstetter) are insufficient for predicting VSB outcomes in CAA.
- Further research is needed to develop improved patient selection metrics for VSB in CAA.
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