Bone conduction stimulation of the otic capsule: a finite element model of the temporal bone

Bone conduction stimulation applied on the otic capsule may be used in a conductive hearing loss treatment as an alternative to the bone conduction implants in clinical practice. A finite element study was used to evaluate the force amplitude and direction needed for the stimulation. Methods: A finite element model of a female temporal bone with a precisely reconstructed cochlea was subjected to a harmonic analysis assuming two types of stimulation. At first, the displacement amplitude in the form of air conduction stimulation was applied on the stapes footplate. Then the force amplitude was applied on the otic capsule in the form of bone conduction stimulation. The two force directions were considered: 1) the primary direction, when a typical opening is performed during mastoidectomy, and was coincident with the axis of an imaginary cone, inscribed in the opening, and 2) the direction perpendicular to the stapes footplate. The force amplitude was set so that the response from the cochlea corresponded to the result of air conduction stimulation applied on the stapes footplate. Results: The amplitude and phase of vibration and the volume displacement on the round window membrane were considered as well as vibrations of the basilar membrane, spiral lamina, and promontory. Conclusions: The cochlear response was comparable for the two types of stimulation. The efficiency of bone conduction stimulation depended on the force direction. For the primary direction, the force was a few times smaller than for the direction perpendicular to the stapes footplate.