Observational study of bone-anchored hearing aid infection rates using different post-operative dressings.
BACKGROUND
Avoidance of infection at the implant site is a crucial element to the success of bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implantation. However, little evidence exists to suggest the best post-operative wound dressing to use.


METHODS
We report our experience with 160 consecutive BAHA patients, using four types of post-operative BAHA wound dressing (Tri-adcortyl, Mepitel, Allevyn, and Acticoat 7 with Allevyn). Patients were reviewed at week one and week two post-operatively. Infection was defined as a positive wound swab culture or evidence of cellulitis at the BAHA site.


RESULTS
Post-operative BAHA infection rates were 16 per cent, 50 per cent, 10 per cent and 5 per cent, for each of the four dressings respectively, and the mean number of additional visits to wound care clinic were 1.5, 3.7, one and 0.4, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Acticoat 7 with Allevyn produced the lowest infection rate and thus became the dressing of choice for our BAHA programme.
Doshi
J
J
Department of Otolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. jayeshdoshi@hotmail.com
Karagama
Y
Y
Buckley
D
D
Johnson
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006096:Gramicidin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009355:Neomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009761:Nystatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009779:Occlusive Dressings / Q000592:standards*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012828:Silicones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000627:therapeutic use
C117408:Acticoat; D004338:Drug Combinations; C014118:Gramicidin, Neomycin Sulfate, Nystatin, Triamcinolone Acetonide Drug Combination; D011091:Polyesters; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012828:Silicones; C081143:allevyn; C114834:mepitel; D009761:Nystatin; D006096:Gramicidin; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; D009355:Neomycin