User:Otopw/sandbox/Patrik Westerkull

Patrik Westerkull, is a Swedish inventor and serial entrepreneur in the field of hearing implants and bone conduction hearing aids. He is the original inventor and researcher behind the concept of Adhesive Bone Conduction, which is a unique new principle for bone conduction rehabilitation which was first introduced in clinical practice around the world in 2018. He licensed his patents in adhesive bone conduction in 2015 to Med-El AG in Austria, a company led by Dr Ingeborg Hochmair, and they introduced the new concept in 2018 under the product name ADHEAR (trademark of Med-El). Today thousands of patients around the world, about half of them being children, have been helped to a better hearing with improved life quality thanks to this new hearing solution. Westerkull is the CEO and founder of Otorix AB in Gothenburg where a lot of the pioneer developments are done and from where he operates in collaboration with clinics, universities and industrial partners around the world. Otorix is an AAA rated company founded in 2004.

Patrik Westerkull, born Johansson in 1964 (Westerkull since 1999), is the son of Börje Johansson, MD and Professor in Cardiovascular Physiology at the university of Lund, Sweden, who was leading the cardiovascular research at Astra Zeneca until 2007. Patrik Westerkull holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics from Chalmers University of technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Patrik Westerkull was selected as one of the top 20 candidates in the Swedish astronaut program in 1993 in which Christer Fuglesang became the first Swedish astronaut in space. Westerkull has served as Head of the BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) division in Nobel Biocare 1993-2003, and in this role he founded Entific Medical systems in 1999. Entific was acquired by Cochlear corp, Australia, in 2005 (BAHA is today a trademark of Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions). Westerkull is also the original inventor of the technology behind the Ponto (trademark of Oticon A/S Denmark) bone anchored hearing system, acquired by Oticon from Otorix in 2006. Before engaging in bone conduction, Westerkull worked 1990-1993 with electronic design of scientific space satellites at SAAB Ericsson Space, currently RUAG Space and before that he was engaged in dental implant development projects at Nobelpharma 1989-1990.


 * Westerkull P. (2018) An adhesive bone conduction system, ADHEAR, a new treatment option for conductive hearing losses. J Hear Sci, 2018; 8(2): 35–43 DOI: 10.17430/1003045
 * Westerkull P. (2011) The Ponto bone-anchored hearing system. Kompis M, Caversaccio M-D (eds): Implantable Bone Conduction Hearing Aids. Advances in Oto-rhino-laryngology 71: 32–40. doi:10.1159/000323578.
 * Westerkull P. (2002). BAHA: The direct bone conductor. Trends in Amplification, 6 (2), 45-52.
 * Johansson, P. and Strid, K.G. (1994) Assessment of Bone Quality from Placement Resistance during Implant Surgery. The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implant, 9, 279-288.
 * Westerkull holds multiple international patents published at Espacenet


 * www.otorix.com
 * www.medel.com
 * Bone anchored hearing aid