Development of a new type of middle-ear implant is proposed. The implant is intended to restore hearing in non-aerated ears by creating and permanently maintaining an air- or gas-filled space within the middle ear. The implant is intended to correct the conductive hearing loss that occurs in chronic otitis media and some cases of otitis media with effusion. The project is designed to optimize 1) materials and fabrication, 2) acoustic properties, and 3) physical barrier characteristics. Prototype devices will be implanted in cadaveric temporal bones and the acoustic response of the middle ear will be measured.
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