[Efficacy in patients with outer and middle ear deformities of using bone-anchored hearing aids].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and satisfaction of bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) in patients with outer and middle ear deformities.


METHODS
Seven patients with bilateral microtia and aural atresia, and three patients with unilateral microtia and bilateral middle ear malformation were fitted with soft-band BAHA for a few months, followed by receiving unilateral BAHA implantation. Mean pure-tone thresholds and speech audiometry tests results were compared among patients without hearing aid, with soft-band BAHA, and with implanted BAHA. Scores from the BAHA users' questionnaires and Glasgow children's benefit inventory (GCBI) were used to measure patient satisfaction and subjective health benefit.


RESULTS
The mean pure-tone thresholds of the patients were (64.8 ± 5.9) dBHL for those without hearing aid, (30.2 ± 3.7) dBHL for those with soft-band BAHA, and (20.3 ± 3.9) dBHL for those with implanted BAHA. The average decline in pure-tone threshold was (36.2 ± 8.0) dBHL for those with soft-band BAHA, and an additional decline of (12.2 ± 3.4) dBHL was achieved with implanted BAHA. The average gains in speech discrimination scores (SDS) were (3.00 ± 1.07)% for those without hearing aids and (89.39 ± 5.83)% for those with implanted BAHA in sound field of 45dBHL. SDS were (57.55 ± 10.30)% for those without hearing aids and (91.19 ± 4.16)% for those with implanted BAHA in sound field of 65dBHL. The average gains in SDS were (88.21 ± 6.86)% and (38.04 ± 7.56)% tested with 45dBHL and 65dBHL respectively. Sound reception thresholds (SRT) without hearing aids were (63.1 ± 5.9) dBHL and (24.7 ± 3.5) dBHL for those with implanted BAHA. The average gains in SRT was (39.6 ± 6.2) dBHL. The BAHA application questionnaire demonstrated excellent patient satisfaction. The general benefit score was 35.59 ± 14.35.


CONCLUSIONS
BAHA remains one of the most reliable methods of auditory rehabilitation and improves quality of life for patients with ear deformities.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Yue
Y
FAN
Xiao-wei
XW
CHEN
Hua
H
YANG
Zhi-yong
ZY
ZHANG
Xiao-li
XL
ZHU
Ke-li
KL
CAO
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
GAO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult