MED-EL · Bone Conduction Solutions
BONEBRIDGE
An active bone conduction implant that sits completely under the skin, for conductive or mixed hearing…
View detailsHearing Care
Bone Conduction & Middle Ear Implants
Not every hearing loss is best treated with a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. MED-EL bone conduction and middle ear solutions offer other routes to sound, and we can help you understand them.
How we help
We look at your hearing results and history, explain the options clearly and work with your ENT surgeon.
- Assessment to see whether these options may suit you
- Information on BONEBRIDGE, ADHEAR and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE
- Coordination with your ENT surgeon
- Follow-up care, parts and accessories
Who it may suit
- People with conductive or mixed hearing loss
- People who cannot wear a conventional hearing aid comfortably
- People with single-sided deafness
- Children and adults with ear canal atresia or microtia
- Patients referred by an ENT doctor
Three different routes to sound
When sound cannot pass through the outer or middle ear, or a hearing aid is not an option, MED-EL offers three alternatives.
Active bone conduction implant
Sits completely under the skin and sends sound through the skull bone to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. For conductive and mixed hearing loss and single-sided deafness. No open wound and no daily skin care.
Bone conduction without surgery
An adhesive adapter sits behind the ear and the audio processor clicks onto it. There is no surgery and no pressure on the skin, so you can try it before you decide. For conductive hearing loss and single-sided deafness, at any age.
Active middle ear implant
A tiny Floating Mass Transducer, smaller than a grain of rice, vibrates the structures of the middle ear directly. For mild-to-severe sensorineural, conductive or mixed hearing loss, from 5 years of age. Nothing sits in the ear canal.
How bone conduction works
We hear partly through the bones of the skull. A bone conduction device turns sound into vibrations and passes them through the bone straight to the inner ear, so damage to the ear canal or middle ear no longer blocks the sound.
For single-sided deafness, the device picks up sound on the deaf side and sends it to the inner ear on the hearing side.
How a middle ear implant works
The SAMBA 2 audio processor picks up sound and sends it to the implant under the skin. The implant turns it into mechanical vibrations that move the middle ear structures, and these pass the sound on to the cochlea.
MED-EL notes that because sound is delivered directly, rather than made louder in the ear canal, there is no whistling feedback and nothing blocks the ear.
At a glance
How the three MED-EL solutions compare.
| Feature | BONEBRIDGE | ADHEAR | VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Active bone conduction implant | Non-surgical bone conduction system | Active middle ear implant |
| Surgery | About 1 hour, general anaesthesia | None | 1 to 2 hours, general anaesthesia |
| Hearing loss | Conductive, mixed, single-sided deafness | Conductive, single-sided deafness | Mild-to-severe sensorineural, conductive, mixed |
| Audio processor | SAMBA 2 | ADHEAR audio processor | SAMBA 2 |
| Battery life | About 8 to 10 days | Up to 300 hours, about two weeks | About 8 to 10 days |
| Start hearing | A few weeks after surgery | Straight away | About 6 to 8 weeks after surgery |
| MRI | MR conditional at 1.5 Tesla | Nothing implanted | MR conditional at 1.5 Tesla |
Figures from MED-EL product information. Battery life depends on use. Suitability is decided after a full assessment.
Your journey
For the implants, the path has three stages. ADHEAR needs no surgery at all.
Step 1
Assessment
Hearing tests show the type and degree of your hearing loss, and your ENT surgeon checks which option suits you. With ADHEAR you can try bone conduction before you decide.
Step 2
Surgery
BONEBRIDGE surgery usually takes about an hour, and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE 1 to 2 hours, under general anaesthesia. Most people are up and about the next day.
Step 3
Activation
Once the area has healed, the audio processor is fitted and switched on. With VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE, a hearing aid can often be used until then.
Common questions
Practical answers based on MED-EL guidance.
No. The vibrations are passed to the inner ear and heard as sound, not felt.
Abutment-type bone-anchored aids use a screw that passes through the skin, leaving a site that needs daily care. Headband-type aids press on the skin and can be uncomfortable. BONEBRIDGE sits completely under the skin, so there is no open wound and no pressure.
Yes. A non-surgical device such as ADHEAR lets you experience bone conduction hearing before you decide on an implant.
The latest BONEBRIDGE and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE implants are MR conditional at 1.5 Tesla and covered by the MED-EL lifelong MRI guarantee. X-ray and CT scans have no restrictions. Always tell the radiology team that you have an implant.
SAMBA 2 is water resistant for everyday life. For swimming, in the sea or in a pool, use a WaterWear cover.
Recovery from BONEBRIDGE surgery usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, and you should avoid heavy lifting for about 2 weeks. Your surgeon will advise you.
MED-EL lists ADHEAR for all ages and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE for children from 5 years. Your ENT surgeon will advise on the right option and timing for your child.
With VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE, avoid contact sports that could hit the implant site. Take the audio processor off to sleep, shower or bathe.
MED-EL bone conduction and middle ear solutions
Exploring your options?
Book an assessment and we will talk you through what may suit you.