For anyone with knowledge of the human ear

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BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,700
0
76
I have a project that I would like to undertake for one of my friends. She's got a problem that as far as I am aware, is pretty rare.

I need more information from her, but I know that she is deaf in her right ear.

The reason she is deaf is that she doesn't have any of the hearing bones, but still has a fully functional cochlea.

Now, long story short, there is no way to get prosthetic parts because there's nothing they can be attached to. The head ENT in Winnipeg, and in Toronto have said that she will be deaf for the rest of her life because there is nothing that can be done to help her.

I would like to attempt to find a solution to the problem.

IF the sound vibrations could actually reach her cochlea, she's got perfect hearing again.

So what I need to design is some kind of device that can take in sounds and somehow reproduce the vibrations so that her cochlea can take them in and stimulate the auditory nerve.

If you guys have any suggestions on places I can go for more information, help, etc, I'm all ears (pun intended :p).

If you have any theoretical or practical input I'd love to hear it as well.

 
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notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Stanford has a biomechanical engineering program. Maybe after you graduate from that, you'll have some sort of a clue as to where to start with a project like this.
 
B

BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,700
0
76
Originally posted by: notfred
Stanford has a biomechanical engineering program. Maybe after you graduate from that, you'll have some sort of a clue as to where to start with a project like this.
Click to expand...

I'll look into it :)
 
D1gger

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
2
76
It would be my guess that if you come up with a solution, you will be very very rich.
 
T

Tobolo

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
3,697
0
0
Contact some american doctors. They would be more willing to try it then a canandian doctor. But get insurance first :)
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
So you're saying her ear mechanism is absent of the malleus, anvil and stirrup? The oval window is ok? Is the endolymphatic fluid normal? Balance - vestibular compensation, ocular reflexes, etc? That is quite fascinating. :)
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,574
972
126
Originally posted by: D1gger
It would be my guess that if you come up with a solution, you will be very very rich.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm sure the other 15 or so people in the world who suffer from this malady would pay dearly for this treatment. :laugh:
 
B

BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
16,815
1
81
Originally posted by: BigToque
I have a project that I would like to undertake for one of my friends. She's got a problem that as far as I am aware, is pretty rare.

I need more information from her, but I know that she is deaf in her right ear.

The reason she is deaf is that she doesn't have any of the hearing bones, but still has a fully functional cochlea.

Now, long story short, there is no way to get prosthetic parts because there's nothing they can be attached to. The head ENT in Winnipeg, and in Toronto have said that she will be deaf for the rest of her life because there is nothing that can be done to help her.

I would like to attempt to find a solution to the problem.

IF the sound vibrations could actually reach her cochlea, she's got perfect hearing again.

So what I need to design is some kind of device that can take in sounds and somehow reproduce the vibrations so that her cochlea can take them in and stimulate the auditory nerve.

If you guys have any suggestions on places I can go for more information, help, etc, I'm all ears (pun intended :p).

If you have any theoretical or practical input I'd love to hear it as well.
Click to expand...

If the problem is rare, no company is going to bother to develop a solution. I highly doubt anything but a synthetic set of the 3 ear bones will work, and how those will be implanted, god only knows.

Unless you can come up with a little mic with a wire that you loop all through her ear, all the way to her cochlea, and bang on it like a hammer.

But this isnt a weekend project. Like they saiod, nothing to attach it to.
 
M

Modular

Diamond Member
Jul 1, 2005
5,027
67
91
Well here's someone you may want to see...

http://www.luhs.org/depts/otolaryn/2a6_leonetti.html

It would require a visit to the states, but I'm sure he could consult on the phone or something. He's an amazing Doctor...just look at his resume.

Anyways, I went to him because I suspected I was sufferring from the misdiagnosis of a cholesteatoma (benign cyst in the inner ear/ear drum.

I had to have a mastoidectomy, tympanoplasty as well as a list of other things done. Basically he took out my ear bones, drilled out my mastoid bone, rebuild my hearing bones and ear drum and some other great stuff.

Try calling his office.
 
B

BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,700
0
76
Originally posted by: MS Dawn
So you're saying her ear mechanism is absent of the malleus, anvil and stirrup? The oval window is ok? Is the endolymphatic fluid normal? Balance - vestibular compensation, ocular reflexes, etc? That is quite fascinating. :)
Click to expand...

As far as I know, absolutely everything is fine. The problem is that there is no way for the sound waves to get to her cochlea because the ear has essentially been hollowed out.

She's had surgery 6 times so far since she was 5 I think.
 
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BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,700
0
76
Originally posted by: ShOcKwAvE827
does she even have tympanic membrane anymore? So she can hear a tuning fork placed to her head right?
Click to expand...

She's probably had 2 or 3 prosthetic eardrums already.

No she can't hear a tuning fork. The sound never makes it to her cochlea
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
All I know is deaf people hate it when they say something to you and you yell "WHAT????!!!!!!"
 
J

Juno

Lifer
Jul 3, 2004
12,574
0
76
i'm deaf myself and i don't think canada help that much.

in america, you get insurance coverage for cochlea implant in order to hear again (with cochlea implant equipment.)

i don't want to get my head operated by doctors for cochlea implant and plus i do play sports so the more risk of something hitting my head could damage the cochlea implant.
 
L

LookingGlass

Platinum Member
Jul 8, 2005
2,823
0
71
Yes, talking to doctors first would be a good idea, that is quite an undertaking, I wish you the best of luck.

While you're at it, can you come up with a solution to nerve damage? I have half my hearing lost in my left ear. :p ;)
 
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