title: Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) in children: Experience of a tertiary referral centre in Portugal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to describe the experience of a tertiary referral centre in Portugal, of the placement of BAHA in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed a retrospective analysis of all children for whom hearing rehabilitation with BAHA was indicated at a central hospital, between January 2003 and December 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  53 children were included. The most common indications for placement of BAHA were external and middle ear malformations (n=34, 64%) and chronic otitis media with difficult to control otorrhea (n=9, 17%). The average age for BAHA placement was 10.66±3.44 years. The average audiometric gain was 31.5±7.20dB compared to baseline values, with average hearing threshold with BAHA of 19.6±5.79dB. The most frequent postoperative complications were related to the skin (n=15, 28%). There were no major complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study concludes that BAHA is an effective and safe method of hearing rehabilitation in children.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: franciscorosa97@gmail.com.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Rosa
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Silva
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal.
authors: Cláudia
authors: C
authors: Reis
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Coutinho
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Oliveira
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal.
authors: Cecília
authors: C
authors: Almeida E Sousa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001844:Bone Conduction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004423:Ear / Q000002:abnormalities; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016348:Osseointegration; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications; D011174:Portugal; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Audífono; Bone conduction; Centros de atención terciaria; Child; Conducción ósea; Hearing aid; Hearing loss; Hipoacusia; Niño; Tertiary care centres