Partial Ossicular Reconstruction With a Novel Ball Joint Prosthesis: The mCLIP ARC Partial Prosthesis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Audiology

Background:

• Middle ear surgery often uses rigid implants for ossicular chain reconstruction.
• New prostheses aim to replicate natural ossicular micromovements and improve stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the audiological outcomes of the mCLIP ARC partial prosthesis in tympanoplasty.
• To assess the safety and effectiveness of this novel titanium prosthesis.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study included 35 patients undergoing tympanoplasty with the mCLIP ARC prosthesis.
• Pure-tone audiometry (PTA4) was used for short-term (ST) and mid-term (MT) follow-up.
• Results were compared to retrospective data from the Dresden titanium clip prosthesis.

Main Results:

• The air-bone gap (PTA4-ABG) improved from 24.5 dB pre-operatively to 17.4 dB (ST) and 15.6 dB (MT).
• 63% of patients achieved a PTA4-ABG < 20 dB at ST follow-up, increasing to 77% at MT follow-up.
• No significant difference in PTA4 ABG was found compared to the Dresden prosthesis at ST follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The mCLIP ARC partial prosthesis demonstrates promising audiological results.
• Its balanced ball joint design contributes to favorable outcomes.
• It is a safe and effective option for middle ear reconstruction in chronic ear disease.