{"id":17672,"date":"2017-04-02T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2017-04-02T08:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrykskarzynski.pl\/?p=17672"},"modified":"2018-06-23T12:04:40","modified_gmt":"2018-06-23T12:04:40","slug":"a-new-step-forward-in-treatment-of-hearing-disorders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrykskarzynski.pl\/?p=17672&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"A new step forward in treatment of hearing disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski has conducted a\u00a0series of demonstration surgeries using a\u00a0new system of middle ear implant Vibrant Soundbridge type with LP-Coupler. These surgeries were the main event of the International BONEBRIDGE & SOUNDBRIDGE Symposium that took place at the turn of April in the World Hearing Center in Kajetany<\/a>. It was the third Symposium of that series and for the first time organized in Poland.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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The Vibrant Soundbridge with LP-Coupler system is a\u00a0new type of middle ear implant, which is an implantable device for patients whose hearing impairment is caused by\u00a0malfunctioning ossicular chain. In normally functioning hearing system a\u00a0sound waves cause movement of the ossicular chain that transmits sound to\u00a0the inner ear. If the ossicular chain, or the inner ear, is damaged, different types of hearing loss occur that may markedly impair patient\u2019s everyday communication.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0middle ear implant amplifies sound conduction and thus improves patient\u2019s hearing.\u00a0 Thus type pf implant has been for the first time in Poland implanted by\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski in 2003. \u2013 Since then, although the implant construction has changed little, the possibilities of sound amplification have improved significantly \u2013 explained Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski after the pioneer operation. \u2013 The first Vibrant Soundbridge implant were a\u00a0relatively simple devices amplifying ossicular vibrations through a\u00a0vibrating transducer fixed with a\u00a0clip on a\u00a0long process of the incus. They could not transmit much energy. This modern system can transmit a\u00a0lot of energy \u2013 adds Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski. \u2013 This implant derives its high power from a\u00a0new solution which enables its perfect connection with the ossicular chain and thus large sound amplification.\u00a0 This system can be applied in patients for whom older devices were too weak \u2013 they could not sufficiently amplify sound conduction in the middle ear so that patient, although his hearing after implantation did improve somewhat, still could not understand some part of auditory information. Patient who received today the newest middle ear implants will be able to\u00a0perceive sounds unavailable to\u00a0users of the old type of middle ear implants that I\u00a0had been implanting in 2003. They will have fewer problems with understanding and communication.<\/p>\n

The new system is efficient and safe \u2013 there is no risk of damaging the conducting apparatus of the middle ear \u2013 emphasized Prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski. \u2013 It has another advantage too \u2013 it is no contraindication for magnetic resonance scanning up to\u00a01.5\u00a0teslas, while the older generation was allowed for MR up to\u00a0only 0.2\u00a0teslas that is today seldom used in clinical practice.<\/p>\n

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\u2013 This new device fills a\u00a0huge lacuna \u2013 it allows treating hearing loss in a\u00a0group of elderly patients, that will grow larger in time<\/em> \u2013 summarized Prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski. \u2013 About 70% of elderly people have hearing problems. Unfortunately, many of them cannot make efficient use of hearing aids and they do\u00a0not qualify for cochlear implantation either. These patients will have a\u00a0chance to\u00a0recover good hearing with a\u00a0modern middle ear implant. The system is funded by\u00a0Polish National Health Fund NFZ.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Operations of implantation of the newest system of the Vibrant Soundbridge with LP-Coupler performed by\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski have been transmitted life on the Internet, where thousands of specialists worldwide could watch them, as well as all leading experts from all continents gathered in the World Hearing Center.<\/p>\n

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\u2013 Everybody was aware of risk involved in installing the system that is perfectly fitted to\u00a0the middle ear and cohesive with the ossicular chain<\/em> \u2013 said Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski. \u2013 The pressure, however, cannot be too strong, because it could cause necrosis of pressured elements. The moment of fitting of the coupler is crucial. It can take 5\u00a0or 50\u00a0minutes depending on anatomical conditions \u2013<\/em> emphasized Prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski.<\/p>\n

\u2013 We\u00a0have purposefully chosen for demonstration surgeries only difficult cases. Patients, whom most surgeons worldwide would not decide operating. Earlier, we\u00a0have conducted specimen trials to\u00a0be up to\u00a0the responsibility and show these first surgeries to\u00a0the world<\/em> \u2013 said Prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski, who has conducted in Kajetany already several hundred of demonstration surgeries.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He has been performing them also in many different places in the world, such as Bogota, Manila, Hannover and numerous Easter Europe countries. As he stresses out, each such surgery is an enormous challenge. It is impossible to\u00a0foresee how the procedure will go. Only after beginning you find out whether there are anatomical conditions allowing fast and efficient implantation. Demonstration surgery always involves some risk. Prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski, however, has been undertaking to\u00a0perform them since many years, because as he says without them there would be no progress in ear surgery.<\/p>\n

Each movement of the hand of Prof.\u00a0Henryk Skar\u017cy\u0144ski was being watched by\u00a0more than 250\u00a0specialists observing surgeries on monitors in the Atrium hall of the World Hearing Center. They came to\u00a0Kajetany from almost all countries in the world, including Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, China, Spain, Japan, Canada, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Germany, Sweden, USA, Hungary and Italy. The International BONEBRIDGE & SOUNDBRIDGE is a\u00a0regular meeting of the best in the world specialists in ear surgery, audiology and biomedical engineering, specializing particularly in hearing implants. First two meeting took place in Rome and in Vienna. \u2013 It is an honor for me and my team to\u00a0be chosen to\u00a0organize the third Symposium. It is the largest international forum of exchange of experience and knowledge about the possibilities of implantation using Vibrant Soundbridge and Bonebridge implant technology, surgical techniques, audiological aspects, indications and limitations \u2013 said prof.\u00a0Skar\u017cy\u0144ski, who , it should be reminded, not only performed the first in Poland procedure with the Vibrant Soundbridge middle ear implant and first in the world procedure where this implant directly stimulates the round window, but also \u2013 in 2012 \u2013 performed first in Poland procedure with Bonebridge bone conduction implant.<\/p>\n

Hearing implants are a\u00a0relatively new solution used in treatment of hearing loss. Ever since these implants have been introduced to\u00a0clinical practice, works on further improvement of models are continued. Scientists work on developing new couplers \u2013 elements that connect the vibrating transducer (FMT) of the Vibrant system to\u00a0the ossicles enabling better stimulation of the round window and preventing transducer slipping out of the round window niche. Promising results of such experimental studies have been presented by\u00a0many well-known experts.<\/p>\n

Subsequent sessions of the International BONEBRIDGE & SOUNDBRIDGE Symposium involved discussion on the benefits achieved by\u00a0patients with various types of hearing loss using different types of hearing implants. Sharing their experiences, the specialists underlined the need for creating the guidelines and protocols for managing different groups of patients.<\/p>\n

Much attention during the Symposium was given to\u00a0the problem of atresia (obstructed auditory canal) and its treatment. Prof.\u00a0Mario Zernotti from Argentina in his lecture has pointed out a\u00a0surprising fact that incidence of this defect is related to\u00a0latitude. In South America atresia of the external auditory canal is ten times more frequent than in Europe (20\u00a0cases in 10\u00a0thousand, while in Europe it is 1-2\u00a0cases in 10\u00a0thousand).<\/p>\n

Two days long scientific program of the International BONEBRIDGE & SOUNDBRIDGE Symposium included a\u00a0dozen demonstration surgeries and more than 30\u00a0lectures and presentations. At the end of the Symposium the debaters have addressed the problem of economic assessment of new medical technologies. As a\u00a0principle, the system of assessment should aim to\u00a0support the availability of innovative solutions for patients by\u00a0promoting technologies that give good clinical effects and are acceptable from the economic point of view. Such system, although challenging for companies developing medical technologies, seems to\u00a0be necessary for implementation in many countries.<\/p>\n

Surgery with the new middle ear implant system Vibrant Soundbridge with LP-Coupler has been reported in television: TVP 1 \u201cWiadomo\u015bci\u201d, TVP Regionalna (TVP Katowice, TVP Gda\u0144sk, TVP Pozna\u0144) \u201cInformacje\u201d, TVP Warszawa \u201cEcha Dnia\u201d, TVN 24 \u201cFakty po\u00a0Faktach\u201d, TVN 24 \u201cWstajesz i\u00a0weekend\u201d, TVP 1 \u201cDzie\u0144 dobry Polsko\u201d, radio reports and internet portals.<\/p>\n