[Pediatric hearing rehabilitation with the Baha® Attract implant system].

INTRODUCTION

Baha® Attract is a new transcutaneous bone-conduction hearing aid, which is more preferable in childhood than the conventional percutaneous systems.

AIM: Our aim was to demonstrate the possibilities of application in childhood.

METHOD: Eight children have undergone surgeries (mean age of 13.2 ± 3.2 years; "posterosuperior" incision technique, 5 mm implants). The thickness of the skull bone was determined in 72 children (1-8 years old) at the recommended implant site, based on CT scans.

RESULTS

The average duration of surgeries was 30 minutes. There were no intra- and postoperative complications observed. Sound processors were fitted at the postoperative 4th week. Hearing measurements proved 51.58±11.22SD dBHL gain in warble tone thresholds, and 43.3 ± 16.02 SD dB in speech discrimination thresholds. The skull bone thickness was measured as 3.39 ± 1.05 SD mm.

CONCLUSION

The Baha Attract system is a new tool for hearing rehabilitation in pediatric population. Preoperative CT provides valuable knowledge about skull bone thickness. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(8), 304-310.