Applications

1365 – Active middle ear implants for sensorineural hearing loss

Find out about the service or technology in this application and the medical condition it addresses. You can also view the application documents, the deadlines for providing consultation input and the outcome of the application when the MSAC process is complete.

  • Status Complete
  • Type New application
  • Pre-PASC consultation -
  • Pre-MSAC consultation -
  • Outcome Not supported

Application details

Reason for application

New MBS item.

Service or technology in this application

Insertion of an active middle ear implant. A signal from an audio processor is transmitted to the internal component and transformed into vibrations that stimulate the ossicles in the middle ear.

The internal component of the implant is crimped or attached to the long process of the incus to mechanically drive the ossicular chain. The amplified vibrations can be adjusted via an external auditory processor to suit different kinds and degrees of hearing loss.

Type: Therapeutic

Medical condition this application addresses

An active middle ear implant is used in individuals with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss who cannot use or sufficiently benefit from conventional hearing aids. However, these individuals can still benefit from the amplification of sound. Individuals with sensorineural hearing loss will have air conduction hearing thresholds within the mild to severe range. All active middle ear implant candidates will have speech perception discrimination of at least 50% correct with appropriate amplified sound.

Meetings to consider this application

  • PASC meeting: 16 - 17 April 2014
  • ESC meeting: 12 - 13 February 2015
  • MSAC meeting: 1 - 2 April 2015