Survival rate of self-tapping implants for bone-anchored hearing aids.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a new self-tapping implant for a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) had the same high frequency of osseointegration as previous implants requiring pre-tapping.


METHODS
Over a three-year period, 144 consecutive implants were placed in the mastoid for BAHA and evaluated.


RESULTS
Two implants were lost; both were of the self-tapping type. One was in an 11-year-old boy, who lost his implant six weeks after surgery when the BAHA was fitted. The other was in an elderly man, a heavy smoker with diabetes. Using Fisher's exact test, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.30).


CONCLUSIONS
Self-tapping implants facilitate surgery and shorten operating time. Over a short follow up, we did not find any significant difference; however, it is important to follow these implants over a longer time period.
Tjellström
A
A
Implant Unit, Department of Otolaryngology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. anders.tjellstrom@orlss.gu.se
Granström
G
G
Odersjö
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001858:Bone Nails; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D019736:Prostheses and Implants