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Utilization of bone-anchored hearing aids in children
1The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Otolaryngology, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 1X8.
Objective:
Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) are indicated for use in children with bilateral microtia or chronic suppurative otitis media, which precludes the use of conventional hearing aids.
Methods:
Nineteen consecutive children using BAHAs were reviewed retrospectively. Outcome measures included the long-term stability of BAHAs, frequency of adverse dermatological reactions at the implant site, and audiologic thresholds.
Results:
Osseointegration was achieved in 95% of patients. One patient lost the implant fixture secondary to direct head trauma. Site revisions were required for only two patients secondary to soft-tissue overgrowth at the abutment site. There were no differences between pre-implantation and post-implantation bone or air conduction thresholds, but there was a statistical improvement in the post-implantation aided thresholds.
Conclusions:
Utilization of paediatric BAHAs, in a distinct population, is a reliable and successful method for audiologic rehabilitation.