Audiometric evaluation and quality-of-life in OSIA users - a retrospective monocentric study

The piezoelectric OSIA is a well-established active transcutaneous bone anchored hearing system. The study retrospectively evaluates hearing results and subjective benefits in patients provided with the OSIA system at our clinic, and separately also looks at patients with moderate to severe mixed hearing loss.

21 patients between 9 and 83 years of age were planned for OSIA implantation between 2022 and 2024. They underwent preoperative (k₀) and at 3 months (k₁) and at 6 months (k₂) with OSIA audiometric testing as well as answered quality of life questionnaires.

The k₀ PTA4 air-conduction threshold was 68.2 dB (± 16.7). The PTA4-free field pure tone audiogram with the OSIA system at k₁ was 32.0 dB (± 14.1). The gain is a substantial 36.2 dB. Freiburg monosyllables speech understandig at 65 dB in quiet with the OSIA at k₁ was 16.4% better than the k₀ performance with the BAHA 6 Max. Postoperative monosyllables performance at 65 dB was statistically better with OSIA versus without. There was a significant negative correlation between pre- versus postoperative APHAB and NCIQ answers (corr.-coeff. -0.87). Postoperative tinnitus results correlated with APHAB and NCIQ answers (corr.-coeff. 0.72 and -0.81 respectively).

Overall, we observed a significant improvement in hearing thresholds, speech understanding performance and in subjective quality of life in patients with OSIA. Also in the subgroup with moderate to severe mixed hearing loss we observed a steady improvement of speech understanding over time and a good subjective quality of life and satisfaction with the system.