[Bone-anchored epitheses and audioprostheses: 4 years' experience with the Branemark system in Germany]

Osseointegration describes direct contact between titanium and vital bone. The Branemark System uses this principle for bone anchorage of hearing aids and craniofacial prostheses. The experience made in the ENT Department of the University Hospital in Homburg/Germany with this procedure in the last 4 years is described. During this period, 40 patients have been operated and 119 titanium fixtures have been implanted. 30 patients got bone anchored prostheses (ear, nose or orbit) and 25 patients received bone anchored hearing aids. The large group of 15 patients with congenital ear malformation presented both indications. 100 out of 119 implants i.e. 84% caused no major problems. The most frequent complications were granulations (10 implants i.e., 8.4%). More severe problems as non-integration of three pillars or rejection of one pillar were rare. Our experience for 4 years in an important number of patients was very positive in the majority of cases and allows us to consider the bone anchorage of hearing aids and craniofacial prostheses as a major advance in craniofacial rehabilitation and audiology.