[Relative value of BAHA testing for the postoperative audiological outcome].
BACKGROUND
Bone-anchored hearing aids provide a therapy option for patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss, with the possibility of audiological rehabilitation. Test rod and tension headband offer the patient a preoperative impression of their postoperative hearing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tools available for preoperative assessment of candidates for bone-anchored hearing aids and to ascertain predictive audiometric values.


METHODS
Following implantation of a BAHA Compact system, sound and speech audiograms were performed in each of 16 patients with the bone-anchored BAHA device and with test rod and tension headband.


RESULTS
Both with the BAHA and with the test devices, closure of the air-bone gap occurred and resulted in a clear improvement in hearing threshold and speech perception. The threshold increase with the BAHA was 9 dB greater on average (mean) than that measured with the test rod and the tension headband. Examinaation of speech perception indicated a mean advantage of 14-20% for the anchored BAHA system over the tension headband in monosyllabic testing.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative testing before providing a BAHA system is a good way of predicting what level of hearing and speech perception can be expected after implantation.
Gründer
I
I
HNO-Klinik am Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Warener Strasse 7, 12683, Berlin, Deutschland. ines.gruender@ukb.de
Seidl
R O
RO
Ernst
A
A
Todt
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult