Hearing Outcomes with Percutaneous and Transcutaneous BAHA^® Technology in Conductive and Mixed Hearing Loss

Objectives:To evaluate outcomes of BAHA Connect^® and BAHA Attract^® implantations, and to examine the prognostic utility of a preimplantation Softband^®-attached processor trial.Study Design:Retrospective case reviewSetting:Tertiary referral center.Patients:Patients who underwent Connect^® (19 ears) and Attract^® (25 ears) implantation between 2007 and 2017.Intervention:BAHA^® implantation.Main Outcome Measures:Unaided air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC), and speech reception thresholds (SRTs), as well as free field (FF) aided with Softband^®-attached processor and with implant-attached processor thresholds.Results:Serviceable implant-attached processor PTA_{0.5,1,2 kHz} (≤35 dB HL) was achieved in 89 and 88% of the Connect^® and the Attract^® ears, respectively, while at 4 kHz this was achieved in 68 and 32% of the Connect^® and the Attract^® ears, respectively (p = 0.032). Significantly more Connect^® ears showed alignment between FF aided with implant-attached processors thresholds and BC thresholds. The alignment between the Softband^®-attached processors thresholds and implant-attached processors thresholds was similar in the two groups. Both groups exhibited similar positive improvement in the quality of life questionnairesConclusions:Accessibility to sound with the implant-attached processor is well predicted by the pre-implantation Softband^® trial, both in the BAHA Connect^® and in the BAHA Attract^® ears. Hearing rehabilitation targets at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz are met by most Connect^® and Attract^® ears, while at 4 kHz the outcome with Attract^® is poorer. This information should be presented to the patient during consultation prior to a decision as to the type of BAHA^® device to be implanted.