title: Objective and Subjective Outcome of a New Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Hearing Device: Half-year Follow-up of the First 12 Nordic Implantations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the objective and subjective outcome of a new transcutaneous bone conduction hearing device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, consecutive case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients were implanted. Eight patients had a conductive/mixed (con/mix) hearing loss. Four had single sided deafness.
  
  
  METHODS
  At half-year follow-up, aided and unaided sound field hearing was evaluated by 1) warble tone thresholds, 2) pure-tone average (PTA4), 3) speech discrimination score (SDS) in quiet, and 4) speech reception threshold 50% at 70 dB SPL noise level (SRT50%). Subjective outcome was evaluated by three questionnaires: 1) International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids, 2) Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale 12, and 3) a questionnaire on frequency and duration of use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No major complications occurred. The mean aided PTA4 was lowered by 23dB. SDS was increased by 40% at 50dB, by 34% at 65dB, and by 12% at 80 dB SPL. SRT50% in noise improved 5.2 dB. 58% of the patients used the device daily and 83% at least 5 days a week. 50% used the device ≥ 8 hours and 75% ≥ 4  hours a day. Mean International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids score was 3.7, corresponding to beneficial outcome. In Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale 12, "quality of hearing" scored especially high. The con/mix hearing loss group showed larger benefit especially in SDS, SRT50% in noise and the subjective evaluations, whereas frequency and duration of use were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study on the first 12 Nordic patients implanted with a new transcutaneous bone conduction hearing device demonstrates significant objective, as well as subjective hearing benefit. Patient satisfaction was high, as was the frequency of use.
authors: *Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen †Department of Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Audiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Kristine Elisabeth
authors: KE
authors: Eberhard
authors: Steen Østergaard
authors: SØ
authors: Olsen
authors: Hidemi
authors: H
authors: Miyazaki
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Bille
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Caye-Thomasen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001844:Bone Conduction; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000601:surgery*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome