Efficacy of Vibrant Sound Bridge in Congenital Aural Atresia: An Updated Systematic Review
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
Alshalan, A., & Alzhrani, F. (2024).
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 281, 2849-2859.
This systematic review explores the safety and effectiveness of unilateral and bilateral Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) middle ear implants in patients with hearing loss due to congenital aural atresia (CAA).
Deanship of Scientifc Research at Jouf University (Saudi Arabia)
2000 to 2022
Published studies excluding reviews, preclinical studies, and in vitro studies
27
The following post-implantation outcomes were noted for VSB in individuals with hearing loss due to CAA:<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>mean word recognition scores</strong> ranged from 60 to 96.7%;</li>
<li><strong>mean speech recognition thresholds</strong> ranged from 20.8 to 50 dB;</li>
<li><strong>effective gains</strong> ranged from 31.3 to 45.5 dB;</li>
<li><strong>patient-reported outcomes </strong>(e.g., Speech Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale, Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile) improved; and</li>
<li><strong>safety</strong> was generally good, with low incidence of post-operative complications (e.g., facial palsy, hearing loss, dizziness).</li>
</ul>
While improvements were generally maintained at long-term follow-up (i.e., 12 to 78 months) in individual studies, maintenance data was limited. The findings of this review are limited by small sample sizes. Future research should investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of VSB in larger cohorts.
