title: Clinical need for a Baha trial in patients with single-sided sensorineural deafness. Analysis of a Baha database of 196 patients.
abstract: A bone-anchored hearing aid (Baha) is used in patients with single-sided sensorineural deafness (SSD) to overcome the head shadow effect. Of all the patients with SSD, treated at our hospital, 196 patients used a Baha on trial between November 2001 and April 2010. The objective of this study is to evaluate what factors determine the decision of a SSD patient whether or not to opt for a Baha device following a Baha trial period. 196 patients with SSD were enrolled for a trial period of 2 weeks at the Antwerp University Hospital, a tertiary referral centre. 93% of these patients suffered from an acquired hearing loss. 44% of all the patients (87/196) chose to wear a Baha device after the trail period, either on an abutment or on a headband. The collected data were analysed to determine correlations between the decision of a patient following a Baha trial period on the one hand, and Fletcher Index ipsi- and contralaterally, bone conduction hearing thresholds at the better hearing ear, aetiology, age at the start of the trial period, duration of hearing loss at the start of the trial period and the type of device used during the trial period, on the other hand. Although 66% of all the patients (109/196) declined the Baha after a trial, reasons not to choose a Baha were diverse and no crucial factors could be found that determine the success of a Baha trial period. Lack of improvement concerning speech understanding in noise was the most important reason mentioned by patients who declined the Baha. The authors advocate that all patients, suffering from SSD, should be offered the opportunity to try a Baha device as no factors could be found that determine the decision of a patient following the trial period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, 2650, Antwerp, Belgium. jolien.desmet@uza.be
authors.forename: Jolien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desmet
authors.forename: Rajae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouzegta
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofkens
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lambrechts
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bodt
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013017:Sound Localization / Q000502:physiology*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D053441:Suture Anchors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult