The bone-anchored hearing aid in children: a surgical and questionnaire follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
The main objectives were to evaluate the surgical techniques and problems seen in children with bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) as well as to determine the children's attitudes toward BAHA.


METHODS
A retrospective study of 41 children with unilateral BAHA was conducted. Surgical recordings were investigated and a questionnaire was distributed.


RESULTS
Surgery was performed as a 2-stage procedure. Available bone thickness was measured in 29 patients and found to be on average 2.5 mm. Thin temporal bone necessitated bone augmentation in 8 patients. Of the implants, 70.5% were installed in contact with the dura or the sigmoid sinus. Implant failures were seen in 9.1% and adverse skin reactions appeared in 7.6% of the patients. Twenty-seven patients responded to the questionnaire, 19 were still BAHA users. Overall, these patients were very content with their BAHAs.


CONCLUSIONS
BAHA is a good alternative in children despite limited thickness of the temporal bone.
Priwin
Claudia
C
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden. claudia.priwin@karolinska.se
Granström
Gösta
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*