Audiological benefits and performance improvements of Baha® attract implantation in patients with unilateral hearing loss

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the overall functional and audiological benefits in unilateral hearing loss, as well as performance improvements with Cochlear™ Baha® Attract System with Baha® 5 sound processor.

Methods

We performed a prospective study. Fourteen consecutive adult patients with unilateral hearing loss who were audiologically eligible for Baha® Attract were included in this study. All patients were followed-up, and a series of tests were performed in the sound field before surgery, one, two, three, and 6 months after surgery.

Results

Patients were categorized based on their hearing impairment type and severity. Ten patients had conductive hearing loss (CHL), or mixed hearing loss (MHL), and four patients had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The hearing threshold in the sound field aided with Baha® Attract was similar to the preoperative bone conduction hearing threshold of the better ear. The results of the speech audiometry improved post-operatively, but they did not match that of the better ear before surgery. The overall score of the hearing-in-noise test was gradually improved from one month to 6 months after surgery. The results of the sound localization test for SNHL patients were not as good as those for CHL or MHL. All the questionnaires demonstrated additional benefits that implied performance improvements.

Conclusions

The Baha® Attract provides enough auditory benefits and performance improvements for hearing impaired patients, though there are different benefits according to the type of hearing loss. Clinicians need to counsel the unilateral hearing loss patients for Baha® Attract System carefully, according to their type of hearing loss.

Keywords:

• Unilateral hearing loss
• Bone conduction
• Correction of hearing impairment
• Baha attract
• Audiological benefit

Acknowledgements

Nothing declares.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. NRF-2020R1A2C1009789) and by National Information Society Agency (NIA) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT.

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board in our institute and was performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its following announcements (Approved number: CR316089).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tae Hoon Kong

Tae Hoon Kong is a clinical associate professor in Yonsei University Wonju college of Medicine.

Jihyeon Lee

Jihyeon Lee is a postgraduate student in RIHE, Korea.

Chanbeom Kwak

Chanbeom Kwak is a postgraduate student in RIHE, Korea.

Woojae Han

Woojae Han is a professor in Hallym University.

O.-Hyeon Gwon

O.-Hyeon Gwon is a postgraduate student in RIHE,Korea.

Young Joon Seo

Young Joon Seo is a chief of RIHE and an associate professor in Yonsei University Wonju college of Medicine.