There are two main types of bone conduction: active and passive. Passive bone conduction uses mechanical amplification through the skin. This can be effective for conductive hearing loss, but some sound energy is lost as it passes through the skin. With active bone conduction, the mechanical sound energy is transferred directly to the bone for optimal sound quality and more powerful amplification.^[ft]

BONEBRIDGE uses a one-of-a kind fully implantable electromagnetic transducer. The transducer is anchored directly to the bone. This direct-drive amplification enables powerful, high quality sound transmission across the full range of frequencies.

• Immediate improvement at activation
• High benefit levels reached quickly
• Stable long-term benefit

Nearly 10 years ago, MED-EL revolutionized the field of bone conduction with the first generation BONEBRIDGE. Now, with thousands of successful cases and extensive published clinical literature, it’s safe to say that BONEBRIDGE BCI technology is here to stay.

The compact, energy efficient BC-FMT maximizes power-to-size ratio to deliver optimal hearing outcomes without compromising implant placement or battery life. The powerful floating-mass transducer enables effective amplification across the whole frequency spectrum—from the low frequencies for richness of sound to the high frequencies for better speech understanding.^[ft][ft]

Feedback-Free

Percutaneous and passive transcutaneous bone conduction systems usually integrate the mechanical transducer into the audio processor. However, if the microphones and mechanical transducer are combined into one audio processor, this can cause uncomfortable audio feedback. This can limit the effective amplification range of these designs.

BONEBRIDGE uses wireless signal transmission between the SAMBA 2 audio processor and the active implant. SAMBA 2’s dual microphones are separated from the mechanical output of the implant to minimize any issues with feedback, even at high gain levels.

There are intact-skin BAHA devices available. However, these passive bone conduction devices require magnetic pressure to transmit mechanical vibration to a passive implant. This can cause excessive discomfort and may significantly reduce wearing time, which would reduce overall hearing benefit.

In contrast, the SAMBA 2 audio processor for BONEBRIDGE is held in place with gentle magnetic attraction, because no force needs to be transmitted to the active implant. Weighing less than 9 grams, the sleek, low-profile SAMBA 2 is worn completely off the ear and easily disappears beneath hair. Together, SAMBA 2 and BONEBRIDGE deliver all-day comfort for the best hearing experience in everyday life.^[ft]

With the 2nd generation BCI 602, we’ve reduced the drilling depth by nearly 50 percent compared to the previous generation—down to 4.5 mm. This puts the drilling depth on par with traditional bone conduction implants, without compromising performance or stability.

With a reduced drilling depth and small implant footprint, the BCI 602 can be flexibly placed in many positions on the temporal bone. The reduced drilling depth helps reduce risk of contacting the dura or other structures. It also helps broaden the range of suitable anatomies, making it especially useful in younger children.

BONEBRIDGE uses two titanium fixation wings to anchor the implant to the bone. This straightforward design makes it simple to secure the implant to the bone.

Even better, with the second generation BCI 602, we introduced self-drilling screws for easier implant fixation. This greatly simplifies surgical handling and enables a shorter, faster surgical procedure. Our new single-use BCI 602 Size Kit also simplifies surgical handling and clinical logistics.

With a secure force-free magnet design, BONEBRIDGE enables easy access to 1.5 Tesla MRI scans following simple safety conditions.* You can find the full MRI conditions for BONEBRIDGE BCI 602 in our Instructions for Use.