Complications and parent satisfaction in pediatric osseointegrated bone-conduction hearing implants

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Auditory Implants

Background:

• Conductive, mixed, and single-sided sensorineural hearing loss significantly impact children's development.
• Osseointegrated bone conduction hearing implants (OBCHIs) offer a solution for hearing restoration in pediatric populations.
• Assessing long-term outcomes and patient-reported satisfaction is crucial for evaluating OBCHI efficacy in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term complication rates associated with OBCHIs in pediatric patients.
• To determine the level of parental satisfaction with OBCHIs in children.
• To identify potential risk factors for complications in pediatric OBCHI recipients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients who underwent OBCHI implantation.
• Analysis of complication data, including skin infections, overgrowth, and need for revision surgery.
• Parental satisfaction assessed via phone interviews.

Main Results:

• Forty-five children with 0.3-10.4 years follow-up were analyzed.
• The most common indication was conductive hearing loss due to aural atresia (62.9%).
• Fifty-eight complications occurred in 29 subjects; 44% required revision surgery, higher than in adults. Children under 5 had higher revision rates. 76% of parents reported satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric OBCHI recipients experience a high rate of postoperative complications and revision surgeries.
• Younger children (<5 years) are at increased risk for implant failure and revision.
• Despite complications, parental satisfaction with OBCHIs in children is generally high.