title: Hearing rehabilitation in congenital aural atresia using the bone-anchored hearing aid: audiological and satisfaction results.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The BAHA (bone-anchored hearing aid) remains the most reliable method of auditory rehabilitation for patients with congenital aural atresia and improves hearing outcome and quality of life in these patients who are otherwise unable to benefit from traditional hearing aids. New techniques are being developed, such as fully implantable hearing devices, and will have to prove their efficacy and safety in this indication.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the audiological results and patient satisfaction after rehabilitation of congenital aural atresia using the BAHA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients suffering from bilateral congenital aural atresia were implanted with unilateral BAHA. Preoperative air- and bone-conduction thresholds and air-bone gap (ABG), preoperative sound reception threshold (SRT), postoperative aided thresholds, implantation complications, patient satisfaction, and the APHAB questionnaire were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a mean follow-up period of 6.5 years, 15 patients were still using their device. Each patient had an average improvement of 33 ± 7 dB. Closure of the ABG within 15 dB of the preoperative bone-conduction thresholds occurred in 10 patients. Adverse skin reactions appeared in 50% of patients over 6.5 years of follow-up. Eleven of the 12 patients used their BAHA for more than 8 h per day.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, HFME, Département d'ORL Pédiatrique, Bron, France. carine.fuchsmann@gmail.com
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuchsmann
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tringali
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Disant
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buiret
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dubreuil
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Froehlich
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Truy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001844:Bone Conduction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D065817:Congenital Microtia; D004423:Ear / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000151:congenital / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012086:Reoperation; D053441:Suture Anchors; D013577:Syndrome; D055815:Young Adult