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Safety and Efficacy of the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) for Mixed and Conductive Hearing Losses

Clinical Trial of the Vibrant Soundbridge as a Treatment for Conductive and Mixed Hearing Losses, Using Direct Round Window Cochlear Stimulation.

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00748540
Acronym
VSBRW
Enrollment
50
Registered
2008-09-08
Start date
2007-12-31
Completion date
2014-03-31
Last updated
2019-09-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hearing Loss

Keywords

sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss

Brief summary

The purpose of this investigation is to collect feasibility data to assess the safety and efficacy of the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB), a medical device designed to provide benefit in aided hearing thresholds, speech perception and sound quality to certain individuals with hearing loss with minimal changes in residual hearing. The VSB is currently indicated for adults with moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss. Under the present investigation, adults with conductive and mixed hearing losses who are not successful users of traditional amplification will be assessed.

Interventions

DEVICEVibrant Soundbridge

Mixed and conductive hearing loss using round window stimulation

Sponsors

Med-El Corporation
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adults, 18 years of age or older at time of implantation * English as the primary language * Appropriate motivation and expectation levels * Geographically and physically able to return to the investigational center for scheduled evaluations and follow-up appointments. * At least a 28-day unsuccessful hearing aid trial (within the past 24 months prior to enrolment). * Persons who after being informed that a different hearing aid than the one they currently have may provide improved hearing, still request an implant. * Ability to undergo general anesthesia * Audiological tests suggest either a conductive or mixed hearing loss. The non-implanted ear may fall outside these criteria; however, threshold levels may not be worse than severe sloping to profound. * Conductive Hearing Loss * Pure-tone bone-conduction threshold levels in the ear to be implanted shall fall at or within the levels stated below. There should be an air-bone gap of 15 dB HL or more at three or more of the frequencies 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. Pure-tone air-conduction levels should indicate the presence of at least a moderate hearing loss of at least 41 dB HL. Air conduction levels are not limited on the upper end. * Upper Limits of Bone Conduction Thresholds for Conductive Hearing Loss Frequency (kHz) 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 4.0 Bone Conduction upper limit (dBHL) \<25 \<25 \<25 \<25 \<25 \<25 * Mixed Hearing Loss * Pure-tone bone conduction threshold levels in the ear to be implanted shall fall at or within the levels stated below. There should be an air-bone gap of 15 dB HL or more at three or more of the frequencies 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. Bone conduction thresholds at least three of the frequencies should be 26 dB or greater. Pure-tone air-conduction thresholds should be, on average, at least moderately impaired of 41 dB or greater. Air-conduction levels are not limited on the upper end. * Lower and Upper Limits of Bone Conduction Thresholds for Mixed Hearing Loss Frequency (kHz) 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 4.0 Bone Conduction lower limit (dBHL) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bone Conduction upper limit (dBHL) 45 50 55 65 65 65 * Good potential for aided speech recognition as indicated by a pre-operative monosyllabic word score of \> 30% in the ear to be implanted as measured under headphones at 40 dB SL or at MCL * Hearing aid trial with appropriately fitted hearing aids of at least 28 days duration within the past 24 months, unless the subject is unable to wear hearing aids for medical reasons * Most recent audiometric data, if available, judged to be of good test-retest reliability.

Exclusion criteria

* Hearing loss of purely sensorineural origin * Retrocochlear or central auditory disorders * Active middle ear infection * Tympanic membrane perforation, ears with previously reconstructed tympanic membranes may be included * Bone-conduction thresholds in the ear to be implanted that have demonstrated a recent fluctuation at two or more frequencies of 15 dB in either direction in the last 6 months, as demonstrated by serial audiograms. * History of post-adolescent, inner-ear disorders, such as vertigo or labyrinthitis * Chronic or non-revisable vestibular or balance disorders * Middle ear infections not responsive to medical treatment * Skin or scalp conditions that may preclude attachment of the Audio Processor or that may interfere with the use of the Audio Processor * Chronic pain in or around the head * Current or previous use of an active hearing implant in either ear. * Any known physical, psychological, or emotional disorder that may interfere with the completion of scheduled follow-up evaluations * Developmental delays or organic brain dysfunction

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Speech Perception in Quiet (Monosyllables) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge6 months post initial activationPercent correct on words in quiet at the preoperative interval compared to 6 month post operative interval.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Functional Gain Compared to Preoperative Unaided Condition in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.6 months post initial activationAuditory thresholds in the soundfield at the preoperative interval compared to the 6 month postoperative interval.
Speech Perception in Noise (HINT Sentences) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.6 months post initial activationSignal to Noise Ratio for sentences at the preoperative interval compared to the 6 month interval.
Residual Hearing in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge10 months post initial activationUnaided hearing thresholds measured at the 10 month interval compared to the preoperative interval in order to assess any changes

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Implanted
Implanted with Vibrant Soundbridge Vibrant Soundbridge: Mixed and conductive hearing loss using round window stimulation
50
Total50

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyPhysician Decision1

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicImplanted
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
3 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
47 Participants
Age, Continuous46 years
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected— Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
50 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
29 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
21 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 50
other
Total, other adverse events
17 / 50
serious
Total, serious adverse events
2 / 50

Outcome results

Primary

Speech Perception in Quiet (Monosyllables) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge

Percent correct on words in quiet at the preoperative interval compared to 6 month post operative interval.

Time frame: 6 months post initial activation

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ImplantedSpeech Perception in Quiet (Monosyllables) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge94.12 percentage of words correctStandard Deviation 6.25
Secondary

Functional Gain Compared to Preoperative Unaided Condition in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.

Auditory thresholds in the soundfield at the preoperative interval compared to the 6 month postoperative interval.

Time frame: 6 months post initial activation

ArmMeasureCategoryValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
ImplantedFunctional Gain Compared to Preoperative Unaided Condition in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.Improved44 Participants
ImplantedFunctional Gain Compared to Preoperative Unaided Condition in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.Worsened0 Participants
ImplantedFunctional Gain Compared to Preoperative Unaided Condition in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.No change5 Participants
Secondary

Residual Hearing in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge

Unaided hearing thresholds measured at the 10 month interval compared to the preoperative interval in order to assess any changes

Time frame: 10 months post initial activation

ArmMeasureCategoryValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
ImplantedResidual Hearing in Patients Implanted With Vibrant SoundbridgeMaintained residual hearing48 Participants
ImplantedResidual Hearing in Patients Implanted With Vibrant SoundbridgeDecreased residual hearing2 Participants
Secondary

Speech Perception in Noise (HINT Sentences) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.

Signal to Noise Ratio for sentences at the preoperative interval compared to the 6 month interval.

Time frame: 6 months post initial activation

Population: 3 subjects did not completed this testing due to limitations of the equipment used.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
ImplantedSpeech Perception in Noise (HINT Sentences) in Patients Implanted With Vibrant Soundbridge.0.24 Signal to Noise RatioStandard Deviation 3.97

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026