title: Speech understanding with a new implant technology: a comparative study with a new nonskin penetrating Baha system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare hearing and speech understanding between a new, nonskin penetrating Baha system (Baha Attract) to the current Baha system using a skin-penetrating abutment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hearing and speech understanding were measured in 16 experienced Baha users. The transmission path via the abutment was compared to a simulated Baha Attract transmission path by attaching the implantable magnet to the abutment and then by adding a sample of artificial skin and the external parts of the Baha Attract system. Four different measurements were performed: bone conduction thresholds directly through the sound processor (BC Direct), aided sound field thresholds, aided speech understanding in quiet, and aided speech understanding in noise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The simulated Baha Attract transmission path introduced an attenuation starting from approximately 5 dB at 1000 Hz, increasing to 20-25 dB above 6000 Hz. However, aided sound field threshold shows smaller differences and aided speech understanding in quiet and in noise does not differ significantly between the two transmission paths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Baha Attract system transmission path introduces predominately high frequency attenuation. This attenuation can be partially compensated by adequate fitting of the speech processor. No significant decrease in speech understanding in either quiet or in noise was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5666-0903
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.affiliation: Cochlear Bone Anchored Hearing Solutions, Mölnlycke, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6162-9510
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caversaccio
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9590-623X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kompis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D038262:Auditory Brain Stem Implants / Q000592:standards; D001307:Auditory Perception; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013060:Speech