MED-EL: First Surgeries Ever in Europe with a Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant
PR86157
INNSBRUCK, Austria, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--
Leading hearing implant manufacturer MED-EL sets another revolutionary
milestone in its long-standing history of technological innovations. On 24
September, the first person in Europe received a novel totally implantable
cochlear implant (TICI). It was implanted by Prof. Dr. Philippe Lefebvre, head
of the ENT Department of the CHU of Liège and Professor at the University of
Liège in Belgium within a feasibility study. The TICI is expected to give users
great hearing with even more comfort. However, it will take several years
before it receives market approval.
A young man with close to profound hearing loss was the first person in Europe
to receive a fully implantable cochlear implant. Cochlear implant (CI) systems,
which bypass the non-functioning part of the ear and stimulate the hearing
nerve electrically, have long been a standard treatment for individuals with
severe to profound hearing loss. They currently consist of an internal implant
which is surgically placed underneath the skin, and an audio processor which is
worn externally, behind or off the ear. The audio processor contains the
microphone required to pick up sound as well as the power supply.
"Our cochlear implants have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the
world to hear and have improved their quality of life. Many users have
expressed the wish for a CI that works without an external component on or off
the ear, is invisible and operates even when users are asleep," says Dr.
Ingeborg Hochmair, founder and CEO of MED-EL.
Totally implantable cochlear implants will be the most innovative and
sophisticated technology in the field of hearing solutions. The TICI contains
all the internal and external components of a cochlear implant system in one
device placed underneath the skin, including the audio processor, microphone
and power supply.
"It is our mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and
quality of life. For decades, our research and development has been based on
close interdisciplinary collaboration with clinics and university departments.
These collaborations allow us to continuously advance technology and solutions
for people with a hearing loss. Developing a totally implantable device has
been in the focus of MED-EL´s research for many years. I am very proud of our
dedicated team of experts who have worked with creativity and diligence to
develop this unique device within well over a decade," Dr. Hochmair explains.
With the first TICI implantation, MED-EL has confirmed once again their
position as the leader in the hearing implant field. The global company
headquartered in Innsbruck is renowned for their strong focus on Research &
Development as well as for constantly pushing technological boundaries forward
for the benefit of their users.
Prof. Dr. Philippe Lefebvre, head of the ENT Department at the University
Hospital of Liege and professor at the University of Liege in Belgium,
performed Europe's first in man TICI surgery. He is a leading expert in
auditory implantology with broad expertise in implantable microphone
technology. "We tested the implant after surgery and are thrilled that
everything is working as expected. Modern cochlear implant technology has been
evolving at an impressive pace, delivering outstanding hearing results. The
TICI is a milestone within the field of cochlear implantation. It has been a
wish from the early days of cochlear implantation to be able to integrate all
components within an internal device," the ENT professor points out.
Several more surgeries with the totally implantable cochlear implant will
follow in Liège and Munich in the next couple of months as part of the clinical
feasibility study.
About MED-EL
MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is
driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication. The
Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers
Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the
development of the world's first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear
implant, which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is
known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful
growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date,
MED-EL has grown to more than 2,200 employees from around 75 nations and 30
locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable
solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 124 countries
enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL's hearing
solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined Electric
Acoustic Stimulation hearing implant system, auditory brainstem implants as
well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. http://www.medel.com
Responsible for the content
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate
Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Furstenweg 77a
6020 Innsbruck
Osterreich
Register-Nr. FN 48608h
UST.-ID-NUMMER: ATU 31722507
CEO
Doz. DI Dr DDr med. h.c. Ingeborg Hochmair
www.medel.com
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Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1314553/Ear_anatomy.jpg
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SOURCE: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH
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