BAHA Soft-Band as a Predictor of Hearing Outcome of BAHA Implants

Background: Bone anchored hearing implants (BAHI) are underused in patients with conductive hearing loss (HL). When other surgical options are not effective and conventional hearing aids cannot be used, many of these patients, especially those with chronic otitis media related mixed HL, are neglected and left with poor hearing. Prior to BAHI implantation head band hearing gain simulation using BAHI processor is done in order to predict the expected outcome from the implanted version.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare hearing thresholds with head band BAHI processor to the later implanted version.

Methods: Retrospective comparative study of hearing thresholds between head band BAHA® processor and the later implanted version.

Results: The study included 38 recipients, 41 ears. 18 BAHA connect, 23 BAHA attract. As expected, in all patients, mean PTA (for 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000Hz) was significantly better with the BAHI processor as compared to without it. Difference between the implanted condition and the head band condition ranged from 1-4 decibels (not statistically significant) in BAHA attract subgroup and 1-12 decibels (not statistically significant) in the BAHA connect subgroup.

Conclusions: Head band BAHA® processor provides highly predictive information regarding the definitive hearing outcome after implantation. Patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss, for whom other solutions were not successful / are not suitable should be referred to BAHI head band hearing gain simulation with the hope that BAHI solution will be acceptable for them and bring them back to the hearing functioning society.