Audiologist gets a MEI with good highs, poor lows

deafdude1 · 10-29-2009, 11:08 PM

Middle Ear Implant: An Audiologist’s First Hand Experience Lisa Evans-Smith, AuD September 2000 Audiology Online

Her experience with the MEI is positive. However I am wondering if MEI can amplify low frequencies? That 5db aided at 1500Hz is impressive!

I have no interest in MEI, those gains don't even come close to the gains in my Phonak Naida HAs and I don't want surgery.

john57 · 10-30-2009, 12:35 AM

This is a semi-implantable hearing aid caled the Med-EL Vibrant Soundbridge unlike the Otologics Fully Implantable Hearing aid based in Boulder Colorado. The orginal company was called Symphonix Devices in San Jose, California and they went out of business 2002 but brought out in March 2003 by Med-EL which also makes a cochlear implant. This requires a round head piece like the cochlear implant that has a battery in it and uses the magnet idea like the cochlear implant. I wonder if the user, an audiologist also consider a open fit BTE aid that could reduce the issue in the ear canal that she was having. I look at the article again and I noticed that she had the implant in November 1998 and open fit aids were not popular at that time. This is my 2 cents worth.

TheWriteAlex · 10-30-2009, 12:41 AM

MEIs seem like gimmicks to me, and very expensive and dangerous ones (when compared to a regular HA). Their main selling points are cosmetic/superficial. They can't do anything better than a good BTE, and in some cases, it seems the BTEs outperform them. I guess there might be some applications where they are better suited than an HA, like this audie's case (but, seriously, I mean, cause she had sensitive skin?? somebody call the wwhhhaaaaaaaammmbulance).

deafdude1 · 10-30-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWriteAlex

MEIs seem like gimmicks to me, and very expensive and dangerous ones (when compared to a regular HA). Their main selling points are cosmetic/superficial. They can't do anything better than a good BTE, and in some cases, it seems the BTEs outperform them. I guess there might be some applications where they are better suited than an HA, like this audie's case (but, seriously, I mean, cause she had sensitive skin?? somebody call the wwhhhaaaaaaaammmbulance).

I totally agree with you! I actually am more in favor for CI than MEI. At least CI has a chance of being better than any HA out there but my HAs are better than any MEI out there. There's now 100% totally implantable MEIs, they cost over $30,000 per ear.

10-29-2009, 11:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
deafdude1 Getting stem cells ~2011! Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,051 Blog Entries: 1	Audiologist gets a MEI with good highs, poor lows Middle Ear Implant: An Audiologist’s First Hand Experience Lisa Evans-Smith, AuD September 2000 Audiology Online Her experience with the MEI is positive. However I am wondering if MEI can amplify low frequencies? That 5db aided at 1500Hz is impressive! I have no interest in MEI, those gains don't even come close to the gains in my Phonak Naida HAs and I don't want surgery. __________________

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10-30-2009, 12:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
john57 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 300	This is a semi-implantable hearing aid caled the Med-EL Vibrant Soundbridge unlike the Otologics Fully Implantable Hearing aid based in Boulder Colorado. The orginal company was called Symphonix Devices in San Jose, California and they went out of business 2002 but brought out in March 2003 by Med-EL which also makes a cochlear implant. This requires a round head piece like the cochlear implant that has a battery in it and uses the magnet idea like the cochlear implant. I wonder if the user, an audiologist also consider a open fit BTE aid that could reduce the issue in the ear canal that she was having. I look at the article again and I noticed that she had the implant in November 1998 and open fit aids were not popular at that time. This is my 2 cents worth.

10-30-2009, 12:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
TheWriteAlex Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lafayette, Indiana Posts: 426	MEIs seem like gimmicks to me, and very expensive and dangerous ones (when compared to a regular HA). Their main selling points are cosmetic/superficial. They can't do anything better than a good BTE, and in some cases, it seems the BTEs outperform them. I guess there might be some applications where they are better suited than an HA, like this audie's case (but, seriously, I mean, cause she had sensitive skin?? somebody call the wwhhhaaaaaaaammmbulance).