Patient satisfaction with the bone-anchored hearing aid: a 14-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the self-rated quality of life (QoL) and benefits associated with the use of bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) and to identify potential improvements in comparison to the previous conventional hearing aids.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
BAHA program in tertiary referral center.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-two adults who underwent BAHA procedure for more than 6 months.


METHODS
Rehabilitative.


METHODS
Results of the Entific Medical Systems questionnaire.


RESULTS
One hundred seventeen responses (77%) were obtained. Overall satisfaction was excellent (median = 9). BAHA was rated very good/excellent in single-person conversation (85%), but fared less well in group situation (45%). BAHA was reported as better than the previous aid by more than 50% of patients within each subcategory where applicable (handling, 64%; comfort, 56%; cosmetic, 60%; sound, 68%; infections, 75%). Of those who reported improvement of ear infections, one quarter remained unsatisfied of improvement in QoL. Patients who used BAHA for 3 years or less (n = 45) had a similar rating to sound quality and conversation as those who used it longer (n = 72). Surprisingly, a subset of patients (n = 8) with poor bone-conduction thresholds (> 45 dB) remained satisfied with the device (median = 8).


CONCLUSIONS
The BAHA can improve QoL and hearing outcome with full acclimatization to the device being achievable within a reasonable amount of time. As with conventional aids, sound quality in group situations remains poor with the BAHA. Our results provide a predictive value during preoperative counseling of patients.
Badran
Khaled
K
Department of Otolaryngology, Countess of Chester Hospital, Cheshire, UK. Badran99@hotmail.com
Bunstone
Dan
D
Arya
Arvind K
AK
Suryanarayanan
Ranganathan
R
Mackinnon
Neil
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001844:Bone Conduction; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome