Project Description:

When parts of the middle ear chain become damaged or diseased, a prosthesis may be required to connect the tympanic membrane to the stapes in order to transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear. However, current ear prostheses fail to replicate the natural lever mechanism of the ossicle chain, which limits their ability to effectively amplify and transmit sound. Additionally, they carry an alarming 86.2% risk of displacement.
Our proposed solution is the PORPoise—a novel prosthetic designed to bridge the gap between degraded bones in the middle ear. Key design features include a nitinol anchoring system that expands onto the walls of the tympanic cavity, length-adjustable threads to accommodate varying patient ear anatomies, a lever system that mimics the mechanical advantage of the malleus and incus, and a ball-and-socket mechanism to allow for movement during everyday activities such as ear popping, yawning, sneezing, and pressure changes. Together, these features reduce the risk of displacement and enhance sound amplification, addressing major limitations of current solutions on the market.
Through testing, we verified our device’s ability to remain stable by measuring the performance of the anchor system. We also confirmed that the device can amplify force by 1.55 times, improving on the natural 1.3 amplification provided by the ossicular bones. Our results suggest that the PORP-oise has the potential to significantly improve hearing outcomes and long-term reliability for patients undergoing middle ear reconstruction.