Long-Term Follow-Up in Active Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Implants

Abstract

Objective To evaluate long-term outcomes of active transcutaneous bone conduction implants (atBCIs) regarding safety, hearing, and quality of life. Study design A clinical study with retrospective medical record analysis combined with prospective audiometry and quality of life questionnaires. Setting Three secondary to tertiary care hospitals. Patients All subjects operated with an atBCI in three regions in Sweden were asked for informed consent. Indications for atBCI were single-sided deafness (SSD) and conductive or mixed hearing loss (CMHL). Intervention Evaluation of atBCI. Main Outcome Measures Pure tone and speech audiometry and Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI). Result Thirty-three subjects were included and 29 completed all parts. The total follow-up time was 124.1 subject-years. Nineteen subjects had CMHL and in this group, pure tone averages (PTA4) were 56.6 dB HL unaided and 29.6 dB HL aided, comparable with a functional gain of 26.0 dB. Effective gain (EG) was −12.7 dB. With bilateral hearing, Word Recognition Scores (WRS) in noise were 36.5% unaided and 59.1% aided. Fourteen subjects had SSD or asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) and in this group, PTA4 were >100 dB HL unaided and 32.1 dB HL aided with the contralateral ear blocked. EG was −9.1 dB. With bilateral hearing, WRSs were 53.2% unaided and 67.9% aided. The means of the total GBI scores were 31.7 for CMHL and 23.6 for SSD/AHL. Conclusion Few complications occurred during the study. The atBCI is concluded to provide a safe and effective long-term hearing rehabilitation.