Baha as a Possible Solution for Single-sided Deafness

Aim: To summarize data for the Baha (Bone anchored hearing aid) implantable hearing system based on the principle of bone conduction for the single-sided deafness (SSD) compensation, regardless of aetiology that may be congenital, vascular (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss; SSNHL), infectious, traumatic, tumorous or iatrogenous. Patients and methodology: 59 patients with an SSD were examined between September 2010 and August 2014 and included into the study. The SSD aetiology included sudden hearing loss, temporal bone fracture, ototoxic effects of a treatment, chronic otitis and a growing vestibular schwannoma. Results: All patients were tested for the effect by the Baha Softband and 23 decided to undergo the surgery. During the entire course of the study, three generations of the Baha implants were used (BI300, BIA400, Attract) without any intraoperative or postoperative complications. The effectivity of the Baha system was shown during testing of a sentence comprehension in noise, with a significant improvement after six weeks and one year respectively. In this testing, the signal was coming to the deaf side and noise to the hearing side, on a loudness level of 65 dB SPL and 70 dB SPL, respectively. Conclusion: Baha represents an effective option for correction of patients with SSD. Patients should be offered to test an implantable and/or non-surgical options for compensation as part of routine care for patients with single-sided deafness.