Somerset, NJ - June 27 - Oticon Medical, an international medical device company within the William Demant Group, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market Ponto Pro Power, the world's most powerful fully digital and programmable bone anchored power processor. Ponto Pro Power will benefit people with severe hearing loss due to malfunctioning of the ear canal or middle ear (conductive or mixed hearing loss) and single sided deafness who require an increased level of audibility. Ponto Pro Power is designed for children and adults with conductive or mixed hearing losses up to 55 dB HL. The new sound processor is built on Oticon's advanced RISE sound processing platform and offers innovative features that aim to deliver the two benefits most requested by power users - enhanced speech intelligibility and reduced feedback1. The sleek, ergonomically designed Ponto Pro Power is the newest addition to Oticon Medical's expanding portfolio of bone anchored hearing solutions designed to give physicians and hearing care professionals more choice in a healthcare arena with growing patient demand.
"For the first time, Ponto Pro Power brings the advanced innovative features that have revolutionized the field of air conduction hearing devices to people with severe hearing loss who cannot benefit from traditional hearing solutions," said Jes Olsen, Oticon Medical General Manager. "With the introduction of Ponto Pro Power, we re-affirm our commitment to delivering more patient-centered innovation and to increasing freedom of choice in bone anchored hearing systems."
Bringing Newest Advances to Bone Anchored Implant Users
Speech Guard, the feature that revolutionized air conduction hearing aids, is now available in Ponto Pro Power and other Ponto system processors. The unique amplification technique is designed to maintain linear processing as much as possible and, by instantaneously responding to rapidly occurring environmental sound, produce less distortion than traditional compression systems.
The power processor's Automatic Multiband Adaptive Directionality system automatically switches between three directional modes - enhanced omnidirectional, split directionality and full-directionality modes - depending on which is optimum for the user's sound environment. In the unique split directionality mode, Ponto Pro Power enables power users to benefit from directionality in more situations by applying a combination of full and omni directionality to enhance speech in noise without losing power in the low frequencies.
Ponto Pro Power's unique two-stage Feedback Manager system helps power users to overcome everyday challenges such as audibility and feedback. It reduces the potential for unexpected feedback and allows full use of the volume control with far less risk of irritating whistling sounds.
Similar to all processors in the Ponto System, Ponto Pro Power features an easy-to-operate computer fitting platform, Genie Medical 2011.1, to facilitate a more precise match between patient and sound processor. In addition to Feedback Manager, the fitting platform includes BC In-situ Audiometry to enable practitioners to measure individual BC hearing thresholds directly via the sound processor. The goal is to increase accuracy and reduce the need for fine tuning and verification measurements.
To optimize the fitting outcome and workflow for different user groups, Genie Medical 2011.1 offers dedicated fitting modes and rationales for single-sided deafness as well as fittings on a soft band. With Genie Medical, it is also possible to upgrade earlier versions of Ponto and Ponto Pro with the new sound processing features.
Oticon Medical works closely with leading otolaryngologists, neuro otologists, audiologists and clinics throughout the world that specialize in surgical procedures and fitting of bone anchored implant systems. "At Oticon Medical, our focus is patient-centered," explained Olsen. "Our goal is to continue to develop innovative hearing solutions, service and support that will enable our professional partners to optimize successful outcomes for their patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss and one-sided deafness."
For more information about Oticon Medical, visit https://www.oticonmedical.com/ or the Oticon Medical web channel on AudiologyOnline.
1Bosman AJ et al. "Evaluation of a New Powerful Bone-Anchored Hearing System". Poster presented at the Third International Symposium on Bone Conduction Hearing-Craniofacial Osseointegration, Sarasota, Florida, 2011.
