ABSTRACT
To investigate the surgical and audiological outcomes of an installation of a bone-anchored hearing system (BAHS) procedure without tissue reduction using Ponto implants and abutments. Retrospective consecutive case series. Forty-nine patients, 18 years or older and eligible for treatment with a bone-anchored hearing system with tissue preservation surgery, were included in the study. Following a systematic scheme for medical outcomes, we collected the data regarding surgical intervention, quality of life (GBI), skin and soft tissue reactions (Holgers grading system), pain and numbness (VAS). Hearing performance (aided thresholds and speech recognition in noise) was recorded in 20 patients. No implants were lost, skin, and soft tissue reactions were mild in 96 % of the all visits. Quality of life (GBI) generally improved in the aided condition compared to prior to implantation. Audiologically, 100 % of the 20 patients examined showed improvement of speech reception and sound field thresholds comparing aided to unaided. An average improvement of 33 dB on PTA was recorded. The study, presenting data on a large population, treated with tissue preservation and modern titanium implants, shows that this treatment is a viable solution that results in fewer complications, high degree of predictability and good audiological results.
Subject(s)
Hearing Aids , Prostheses and Implants , Prosthesis Implantation/methods , Suture Anchors , Adult , Aged , Auditory Threshold , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Quality of Life , Retrospective Studies , Speech Perception , Visual Analog Scale , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To report the hearing results of cochlear implantation simultaneous to vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection by means of a translabyrinthine approach in patients with normal contralateral hearing. METHODS: This was a prospective study including adults with sporadic VS. Tumors were resected by means of a modified translabyrinthine approach with preservation of the cochlear nerve. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients underwent cochlear implantation. At 14 months, the mean pure-tone audiogram was 56 dB. The mean speech recognition was 80%. Cochlear implantation provides monaural and binaural benefits in all the conditions tested, including sound localization. CONCLUSIONS: Cochlear implantation can be safely performed simultaneously to VS resection with satisfactory hearing results provided that the cochlear nerve is anatomically intact.
