Longer length Baha™ abutments decrease wound complications and revision surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To study the complication rates of skin overgrowth, infection, and the need for revision surgery in longer length Baha™ abutments.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study compared with a retrospective historical control.

METHODS

After the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, data was collected from a prospective 8.5-mm abutment study group of 21 subjects with informed consent from October 2011 through October 2012, and was compared to a retrospective 5.5-mm abutment historical cohort of 23 patients who had undergone Baha™ by the same surgeon from May 2010 to October 2011. Patient demographics, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and wound complications (skin overgrowth, infection, the need for revision surgery) were statistically investigated and compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients were studied. The groups were similar in smoking status, diabetes, and a female preponderance. The 8.5-mm abutment group was older (P = 0.012). The average BMI for both groups was classified as overweight and nearly obese (BMI 28.8). Rates of infection, skin overgrowth, and the need for revision surgery related to wound complications were significantly decreased in the longer 8.5-mm abutment group (P = 0.020, P = 0.012, P = 0.007, respectively). BMI did not correlate with decreased infection, skin overgrowth, and the need for revision surgery based on abutment length as hypothesized (P = 0.214, P = 0.206, P = 0.408).

CONCLUSIONS

The 8.5-mm abutment lends to decreased complications postoperatively, including infection, skin overgrowth, and the need for revision surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3b.