University Clinical Hospital in Poznań is a leader in hearing implants, having performed over 2,500 surgeries, including cochlear and bone conduction systems. Since the 1990s, it has used bone conduction implants, initially passive models with external sound processors. In 2019, active implants with internal processors were introduced, though they posed challenges for MRI compatibility due to embedded magnets.
The newly introduced Osia OSI300 piezoelectric system resolves this issue by housing the magnet in a special compartment, reducing interference during MRI scans.
“This design allows for safe 3 Tesla MRI without removing the implant and minimizes image distortions,” explains Dr. Wojciech Gawęcki from the Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań. If needed, the magnet can be easily removed, unlike older models.
The new implants can benefit adults and children with conductive or mixed hearing loss, developmental ear abnormalities, or unilateral deafness. However, patients with severe bilateral hearing loss may be better suited to cochlear implants, which directly stimulate auditory nerves.
Bone conduction implants work differently, converting sound into vibrations that bypass the outer and middle ear to stimulate the cochlea or the opposite ear.
The innovative hearing implant marks a major advancement in hearing technology, offering improved compatibility with modern diagnostics and expanded options for patients.
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