The MED-EL Corp, Durham, NC, announced today that the FDA has approved Maestro system software Version 3.0 for the Opus 1 and 2 processor. The new version, which is now available, allows Combi 40+ implant users to access the Opus 1 and 2 processors introduced by the company last year.
The Opus processor family features FineHearing, an advanced sound processing technology, which processes the fine structure detail of sounds, leading to improved music appreciation and better understanding of speech in noisy environments for many. The Combi 40+ implant model was used from 1998 to 2005 in the United States, and was replaced by the PulsarCI100 and SonataTI100 implant models. Several thousand Combi 40+ users in the United States will now be able to access the latest sound coding technology through FineHearing.
Maestro 3.0 includes new features and enhancements for the PulsarCI100 and SonataTI100 implants. These newer MED-EL cochlear implants support proprietary auditory nerve response telemetry (ART), which provides clinicians with precise information on the physiological response of the auditory nerve to stimulation by the cochlear implant. Maestro allows audiologists to practice without hardware using the new training mode, including the choice of simulating perfect or imperfect telemetry and ART results.
It is compatible with Windows Vista. The new version includes several enhancements to the ART system, such as faster measures with new electrode profiles and a pre-check of patient loudness tolerance using the new ART loudness comfort tool. It displays ART results on the fitting screen, supporting smoother integration between tasks.
Since its founders developed one of the world’s first cochlear implants in 1975, the company has set standards in hearing implant technologies, developing and manufacturing technologically advanced hearing solutions for people with varying degrees of hearing loss.
[Source: MED-EL]
