Carina® and Esteem®: A Systematic Review of Fully Implantable Hearing Devices
PLoS One
Pulcherio, J. O., Bittencourt, A. G., et al. (2014).
PLoS One, 9(10), e110636.
This systematic review investigates the effects of the Carina and Esteem fully implantable middle ear devices on outcomes (e.g., sound field thresholds) in adults with hearing loss.
No funding received
2000-2014
Case reports; prospective studies; retrospective studies
22
"The fully implantable hearing devices are indicated mainly as an alternative treatment for moderate to severe hearing loss in patients with normal and abnormal middle ears who either do not benefit from conventional [hearing aids] HAs or choose not to wear them. Recently, Carinas indications has been extended to patients with ossicular defects in whom conventional ossiculoplasty itself would not restore sufficient hearing function" (pp. 4-5).
"All the studies showed improvement of sound field threshold from unaided to aided conditions with fully implantable [middle ear devices] MED. About gain, there are conflicting results among the different studies. Some of them have no statistical significance, Some studies reported a functional gain but with a limited benefit on frequencies above 3 kHz" (p. 6).
