Somerset, NJ — Oticon Medical has introduced four additions to the company’s Ponto system of advanced sound processors, accessories, implant components and surgical instruments. The new surgical instruments, components and sound processor accessories are solutions designed for conductive/mixed hearing losses and single-sided deafness.

The new additions include the Ponto Angled Abutment, which enables adjustment of an incorrect implant angle, helping to reduce feedback, enhance aesthetic appearance and improve microphone position for directional hearing. In some cases, use of the angled abutment may even replace the need for revision surgery.

“Every patient has different anatomical variations around the site of the implant, which sometimes can cause the sound processor to touch the skin or the ear,” explains Jes Olsen, Oticon Medical CEO. “To prevent feedback and improve the aesthetics in such cases, the incorrect angle can now be adjusted using the angled abutment.”

The new Ponto Countersink with Stop is designed to give more accurate countersinking depth for improved safety during surgery. The built-in stop — an outer collar without cutting edge — prevents countersinking more than 0.3 mm to prevent the drill from removing too much bone. A new Dermatome features an adjustable cutting thickness developed specifically for bone anchored surgery.

For hearing impaired children, early stimulation of the cochlea is important for the development of language skills. The soft band provides a solution for many children who are too young to have an implant placed or whose hearing problems are temporary. The new Ponto Soft Band offers a number of improvements including a special version for bilateral use, an easily adjustable fit to accommodate different head sizes and six colors in both bilateral and unilateral versions. The new design features a built-in safety release and is latex- and Velcro-free.

The Ponto System is based on the reportedly tested and proven Brånemark principles of osseointegration and features an advanced sound processing chip and a patient-friendly ergonomic design. Built on Oticon’s RISE sound processing platform, the Ponto processor aims to deliver improvements in sound quality and flexibility for individual needs.

SOURCE: Oticon Medical