New Offerings and Broader Range of Options Aim to Support Surgical Advances and Successful Patient Outcomes.SOMERSET, NJ June 11 - In 2009, newly launched Oticon Medical announced the company's intent to grow the market for bone anchored hearing solutions with breakthrough concepts to better meet the needs of people with conductive and mixed hearing loss or single-sided deafness. In keeping with that commitment, Oticon Medical today unveiled innovative new technologies and a broader range of options within the Ponto System, designed to improve implant loading conditions and support the development of new surgical techniques with the potential to improve the cosmetic outcome for patients. A new wide Ponto implant features OptiGrip, a ground-breaking implant geometry that maximizes implant surface area in contact with the bone, an established method to improve implant stability.
"Over the past three years, the field of bone anchored hearing solutions has experienced dramatic advances in sound technology, treatment flexibility and design as new developments in products and fitting solutions become available," says Oticon Medical General Manager Jes Olsen. "At Oticon Medical, our goal is to continue to introduce new choices designed to minimize treatment-related side effects and increase patients' long term prospects and well-being."
Oticon Medical's new wide Ponto implant is designed to improve implant stability. The wide implant provides 10% more implant surface in contact with bone and requires 27% less bone removal than other currently available bone anchored implants of the same size. "Achieving this type of implant geometry has simply not been possible until now," explains Lars Jinton, Director of Engineering for Oticon Medical. "Unique, breakthrough technology allows us to provide an implant cutting performance that significantly reduces the required ratio between the implant and drill hole diameters."
The Ponto System now includes three abutment lengths - 6mm, 9 mm, and the new 12mm nd an angled abutment to adjust sound processor orientation. The longer length of the new 12mm Ponto abutment is unique to Oticon and gives surgeons increased flexibility to adapt to individual variations in skin thickness. It will be useful in the treatment of patients with thick skin as well as in clinical evaluation of new surgical techniques without soft tissue reduction that aim to improve the cosmetic outcome and thereby help to make bone anchored hearing systems more attractive to patients.
"Collaboration between Oticon Medical and leading university and medical center clinics increases our ability to stay on the cutting edge of the newest developments in bone anchored hearing treatment," states Patrik Westerkull, senior research consultant for Oticon Medical. "The result is advances such as the Ponto abutment and skin penetration concept that enable Oticon Medical to continue to offer state-of-the-art patient-centered solutions that meet a broad range of clinical needs and surgical approaches,"
For more information on Oticon Medical, the new wide Ponto implant and the entire Ponto System, visit www.oticonmedical.com or the Oticon Medical web channel on AudiologyOnline.
About Oticon Medical
Oticon Medical, a global medical device company within the William Demant Group, is committed to providing freedom of choice in bone anchored hearing care. The company's Ponto System offers a range of advanced sound processors, implants, fitting software, patient accessories and special tools for surgeons that deliver flexibility, safety and good patient outcomes for people with conductive/mixed hearing losses and single-sided deafness. Oticon Medical brings a strong patient-centered focus to the development of bone anchored hearing solutions that combine exceptional sound quality, enhanced aesthetics, user friendliness and reliability.
