When the inner ear, which is the hearing organ, works normally, but there is some damage to the system that transmits sound from the external environment to the hearing organ, then the resulting hearing loss is said to be called hearing loss.
The most common example of hearing aid treatment is the resulting hearing reduction during an acute otitis media. In this case, the pus that is concentrated in the cavity of the middle ear does not allow the drum and the small bone, which is connected to it, and thus our hearing is reduced. Of course, in otitis, hearing loss is temporary, since hearing returns to normal after the infection is restored. However, there are cases where hearing loss is permanent, such as drum perforation, the erosion of bones from chronic otitis, cholenoma and otosclerosis.
The good news is that most causes of hearing aids are cured: acute medication, surgery chronic. But there are patients whose general health condition does not allow for surgery, or who have already been operated on, perhaps more than once, but their ears continue and run a pus. Also, children with syndromes may have a high degree of hearing loss due to defective ear construction, and surgical rehabilitation is extremely difficult, with a dubious effect.
Many of these patients cannot use classic hearing aids, either because they are not easy to apply, or because a pus that runs often are not allowed with the handset of the handset. For these, the difficult incidents, modern technology has given the solution: implanting hearing aid.
Implanted hearing aid
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAEA) is a high -tech electronic device that collects the sounds from the environment with a sensitive microphone and transmits them to the inner ear directly through the skull bones, bypassing the problem. Baha adapts to a tiny titanium screw, analogous but smaller, with the screws of dental implants. This screw is implanted with a simple bone procedure behind the ear and the BAE “button” on it with the help of a special connecting element. Titanium has the property of osteoporosis, which means that after a short period of time, it is incorporated (it becomes “one”) with the bone, without a local reaction, that is to say, reactive capsule. Osteoenia gives the screw a great deal of stability, which allows it to be charged with the weight of the handset and gives perfect acoustic performance, without any sound loss from the connection.
In which patients the Implant hearing aid?
- In any hearing loss (Damage to a tympanic membrane and/or bones), when the patient cannot or does not want to be operated on.
- In cases chronic otitis, in which the patient is already operated on, but the ears are unstable and run pus, so they do not allow for normal hearing aids.
- Hearing loss: In congenital conduction hearing and syndromes (eg Treacher Collins).
- In selected neurosensory hearing aidswhen normal hearing aid can not be applied.
What is the application process?
Under local or general anesthesia, with a small incision behind the ear, the titanium screw is implanted. After healing is completed, the screw can be charged with the weight of the handset, through a special connecting element. The new generation devices They are adapted to connecting components with a special coating hydroxyapatite, which have simplified the placement procedure. Also, modern titanium screws allow for immediate charge, unlike the older ones, which required about 3 months waiting. The regulation is immediately done by the technicians, based on the patient’s hearing.
What are the advantages of Implant Hearing aid?
- Impressive sound quality. All patients are excited about their new hearing!
- Small size, easily hidden in the hair (circulated in different colors, depending on the color of the patient’s hair).
- The handset does not come into contact with the ear and is difficult to see.
What are the disadvantages?
- The only disadvantage of BAEA is the cost. As a high -tech device, it is not cheap. Under conditions, part of the expenditure can be compensated by EOPYY.
Pioneers of our team -related team
OR ENT clinic of Athens Medical Center It has a special relationship with the BAIA. The signatory placed the first BAEA in Greece, in 1998 at the Athens Naval Hospital, while in 2016 he placed the first new generation of new generation in a private clinic in Athens.
Writes Timoleon TerzisENT, Director, ENT of Athens Clinical and Rhinology Center, Athens Medical Center
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