Auditory Ossicle Prosthesis Stabilizer with Hooked Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auditory ossicle prostheses often experience post-operative dislocation due to scar formation and unforeseeable forces, leading to compromised sound conduction and stability issues, as they do not fully replace the natural anatomical formations of the ossicular chain.
Innovation Solution
A Y-shaped stabiliser element with hooked anchoring elements is used for secure fixation in the ear canal wall, maintaining sound transmission properties by anchoring at a level with the tympanic membrane, and optionally made of titanium or Nitinol for bio-compatibility and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a stabiliser element is added to fixate the prosthesis in the middle ear, then stability and position fixation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer element is divided into multiple functional segments: a fixation part with hooked anchoring elements for securing to the ear canal wall, a body connecting to the prosthesis, and a positioning function separate from the sound conduction path. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design modular and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer element acts as an intermediary component between the prosthesis body and the ear canal wall. It provides a mechanical connection point without interfering with the sound conduction path, thereby stabilizing the prosthesis while maintaining acoustic functionality.
2Reliability
If the prosthesis is mechanically fixedated to prevent dislocation, then reliability is improved, but sound transmission properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing function is extracted from the sound conduction path and placed in a separate stabilizer element that anchors to the ear canal wall. This extraction ensures that the fixation mechanism does not interfere with the oscillation and sound transmission of the prosthesis body, eliminating the trade-off between stability and acoustic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer element serves as an intermediary that provides mechanical fixation without becoming part of the sound conduction chain. Its anchoring points on the ear canal wall create a stable reference frame while allowing the prosthesis to oscillate freely for sound transmission.
3Ease of operation
If a Y-shaped stabiliser with hooked anchoring elements is used, then ease of operation during surgery is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hooked anchoring elements are pre-formed during manufacturing with precise geometry and positioning. This preliminary action ensures that during surgery, the elements can be easily inserted into prepared holes in the ear canal wall without requiring complex manipulation or adjustment, thereby improving surgical ease while maintaining manufacturing precision standards.
Data Source
AI summary
An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) with a sound transmitting prosthesis body (13) has first and second coupling elements (11, 12) provided at opposite ends. A stabilizer element (14) fixes the prosthesis on a level with the plane of the tympanic membrane and stabilizes the position of the prosthesis in the middle ear. A fixation part (14.2) anchors the Y-shaped stabilizer element at one or more places of the ear canal wall. The fixation part includes two hooked anchoring elements (16) that secure the fixation part in artificially drilled holes in the ear canal wall. The auditory ossicle prosthesis has a particularly simple and compact design and stays spatially fixed within very small variations in its initial position after implantation inside the middle ear cavity, providing effective protection against post-operative dislocation, tilting or tipping and without deteriorating sound transmission properties of the prosthesis.