Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA)
What it is
An innovative hearing device, which collects the sounds with a sensitive microphone and transmits them to the organ of hearing (inner ear) through the skull bone. This is achieved by means of a minute titanium screw, which is implanted in the bone behind the ear and a connective device (abutment). Titanium has the property of osseointegration, meaning that soon after the implantation, the screw is integrated in the bone without the formation of reactive capsule around the implant. This ensures stability and allows loading with the weight of the hearing device.
When it is indicated
- Any conductive hearing loss (due to lesion in tympanic membrane and/or ossicles), when the patient cannot or does not want to have an operation.
- Chronic Otitis after surgery, when the ears are unstable and frequently discharging, not allowing fitting with regular hearing aids.
- Child Deafness: Congenital conductive hearing loss and syndromes (e.g. Treacher Collins)
- Selected sensorineural hearing losses, when regular hearing aid fitting is not possible.
Fitting Procedure
Under local or general anaesthesia, through a small incision behind the pinna, the titanium screw is implanted. After the completion of healing, the screw and the abutment over it, can be loaded with the BAHA. New generation devices and abutments allow immediate loading, as opposed to older ones, which demanded for a waiting time of approximately three months.
Tuning and programming of the BAHA is done by the specialized technicians, according the preoperative audiogram (hearing test).
Advantages
- Impressive sound quality
- Small size, which allows easy hiding in the hair (comes in different colours, to match hair colour).
- The BAHA has no contact with the pinna and does not attract attention.
Disadvantages
- Some Insurance companies may reimburse the device, in whole or in part.
We are leaders in ΒΑΗΑ fitting in Greece
- 1998: First ΒΑΗΑ fitting in Greece, , made by Brånemark, by Dr T. Terzis, at Athens Naval & Veterans Hospital.
- 2016: First New Generation ΒΑΗΑ in Greece, made by Cochlear, by Dr T. Terzis, at Mediterraneo Hospital,
(Β). ΒΑΗΑ fitted on the abutment, has no contact with the pinna and can be easily hidden in the hair. Comes in different colours, to match hair colour.
This website aims at providing simplified scientific information and not medical advice on specific conditions or individual cases. In this respect, it cannot replace the consultation and documented opinion of a specialist physician.