title: The Cochlear Baha 4 Attract System - design concepts, surgical technique and early clinical results.
abstract: Bone conduction implant systems utilize osseointegrated fixtures to transmit sound through the bones of the skull. They allow patients with hearing loss to receive acoustic signals directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. The new Cochlear™ Baha(®) Attract System (Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions AB, Mölnlycke, Sweden) has been designed as a non-skin penetration hearing implant. The system uses magnetic coupling to hold the external sound processor in place and transmit acoustic energy. An implantable magnet is anchored to the skull via a single osseointegrated fixture, maximizing the efficiency of energy sound transfer. The interposed soft tissue is protected by a SoftWear pad that evenly distributes pressure in order to minimize the risk of pressure necrosis. This article summarizes the design features and early clinical results of the Baha 4 Attract System and provides context as to its place in the broader hearing aid market.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Clamp
authors.forename: Robert J S
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Briggs
mesh_terms: D001844:Bone Conduction; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D016348:Osseointegration; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: bone conduction; hearing aids; hearing loss; osseointegration; prostheses and implants