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Cayman Hearing Center Electronic Implants

BAHA Devices

Hearing aids are the most common device used by audiologists to help individuals with a hearing loss enjoy better hearing and an improved quality of life. However, there are cases when hearing aids do not provide an adequate solution.

While traditional hearing aids process and amplify sounds that pass through the hearing canal, a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) system implants a device that produces sound vibrations to the inner ear using bone conduction.

Our audiologists at Cayman Hearing Center help identify those who might benefit from bone-anchored hearing aids and program the devices to meet the needs of individuals who need a little more help than traditional hearing aids provide.

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Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids as an Alternative to Traditional Hearing Aids

A viable alternative for individuals who want to improve their ability to communicate and continue to take part in the lifestyle activities they’re used to but do not get the help they need from traditional hearing aids may be better served by a BAHA system.

Benefits of bone-anchored hearing aids may include:

  • The capacity to better understand speech
  • Enjoy conversations during meals or social events
  • Watch television or listen to music at normal volume levels
  • Facilitate participation in sports and recreational activities

    Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids vs Cochlear Implants

    Fact 1

    BAHAs, also known as bone-anchored auditory implants, differ slightly from cochlear implants. Although both are surgically implanted devices for hearing loss, they treat different types of hearing problems.

    Fact 2

    Bone-anchored hearing aids use bone conduction in the skull surrounding the inner ear to bypass the auditory canal and transmit sound stimuli to a functioning inner ear. In contrast, cochlear implants bypass both the auditory canal and inner ear to transmit sound stimuli directly to the auditory nerve.

    Fact 3

    Like a cochlear implant, there are two parts to a bone-anchored hearing device: a titanium bone implant and an external sound processor. The external microphone and sound processor work just like a hearing aid, picking up sounds from the environment and converting them into vibrations that are transmitted to the embedded implant.

    Fact 4

    Sound vibrations from the surrounding bone stimulate the hair cells in the inner ear, and these sound signals travel to the brain’s central auditory processing center.

    Who is a good candidate for a bone-anchored hearing aid?

    A bone-anchored hearing aid works best for people who have at least one inner ear that functions normally. Individuals who benefit from BAHA may have a conductive hearing loss that limits the capacity of the outer or middle ear to transmit sound to the inner ear and leads to complete hearing loss.

    Outer or Middle Ear Malformations

    Children or adults with severe outer or middle ear malformations are good candidates for a bone conduction implant. Malformations are usually congenital and typically include narrowing of the ear canal or a malformed or absent pinna (external ear) that leads to conductive hearing loss.

    Single-Sided Deafness

    Those with single-sided deafness (SSD), which involves a complete loss of all hearing in one ear while having normal hearing to profound hearing loss in the other ear, are good candidates for BAHA as well. A major challenge for those with SSD is localizing sound and speech, especially in noisy environments.

    SSD is often the result of an acoustic neuroma (a tumor on the hearing nerve), Meniere’s disease, or sudden sensorineural hearing loss. CROS devices, which route sounds from the side with weaker hearing to the side with better hearing, provide an adequate solution for some, but a bone-anchored hearing device may be preferable because it requires the use of only one discreet device.

    Chronic Ear Infections or Allergies to Standard Hearing Aids

    Individuals with chronic ear infections or allergies to traditional hearing aids are also viable candidates for a bone-anchored hearing device because traditional hearing aids block the ear canal, exacerbating chronic ear infections. Additionally, those with allergies to the materials used to make hearing aids and earmolds may benefit from a bone-anchored hearing device that does not cause an allergic reaction.

    Learn More About Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids

    When malformation of the outer or middle ear, single-sided deafness, and/or chronic ear infections or allergies do not allow patients to respond well to traditional hearing aids, hearing care professionals turn to bone-anchored hearing aids.

    If you think that you or a loved one might benefit from a bone-anchored hearing aid and want to learn more about them, our audiologists at Cayman Hearing Center are ready to answer your questions. Simply complete and submit the adjacent form, and one of our experts will call you back.

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    FAQs

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    What happens during implant surgery?

    Implanting a bone-anchored hearing device is a 15-minute outpatient surgical procedure that uses local anesthesia. It involves the insertion of a small titanium plate (3–4 mm) into the mastoid bone through a small incision behind the ear.

    The external processor attaches to the titanium implant by means of an abutment that sticks out through the skin or via a built-in magnet. Many surgeons use MIPS (minimally invasive Ponto surgery) to reduce complications because it doesn’t require suturing, eliminates scarring, and fosters rapid healing.

    Can you hear right away?

    Before the external device can be attached to the implanted device, the area around the incision will need time to heal. This can take from 3 weeks to 3 months, depending on the type of procedure used to install the implant.

    Once the external device can be attached, it is programmed and tested by your audiologist to make sure that it provides adequate support for your specific hearing loss. Similar to acoustic hearing aids, there may be some adjustments needed as the patient gets accustomed to hearing the processed sounds.

    Can a bone-anchored hearing aid be removed?
    The implanted component of a bone-anchored hearing system is not typically removed because the titanium implant is designed to fuse with the bone. However, the external processor can be removed and replaced as necessary and is the only part that changes when it comes time to upgrade your BAHA
    Can older adults use bone-anchored hearing aids?
    Most older adults experience sensorineural hearing loss, which is best helped by hearing aids. Bone-anchored hearing devices are often used to treat hearing loss due to changes to the outer or middle ear that lead to conductive hearing loss or in response to single-sided deafness (SSD) that does not respond well to traditional hearing aids.

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