[Development of a piezo-electrical vibrator for middle ear implant. State of research]

Authors develop a piezoelectric vibrator for middle ear implant. Animal experimentation, on guinea pigs, demonstrated the efficiency and good tolerance of this vibrators. A study on human temporal bones led them to design a vibrator implantable on the stapes for humans. The in vitro study of the performances of this vibrators showed an excellent frequency fidelity between 0.5 and 8 kHz, and output levels over 110 dB SPL. A vibrator for humans, implantable on the head of the stapes, without interruption of the ossicular chain was realized. Its study on human temporal bones in implantation position, has begun, in parallel with a theoretical study with a mathematical model.