The long-term outcomes of subjects fitted with a bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) for a unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss (UPSHL) are still evolving. Previous studies have focused on the comparison between shortterm outcomes obtained with hard-wired contralateral routing of signal (CROS) hearing aids and those obtained with BAHA devices. Published results on subjects who have worn their BAHA devices for UPSHL for more than twelve months are limited. This study explored the long-term outcomes of adults fitted with a BAHA for UPSHL. The aims were firstly to examine subjects' pre-operative and postoperative speech perception in quiet and noise, as well as administer two standardised questionnaires, the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Benefit (APHAB) and the Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile (GHABP). The second aim was to evaluate the responses of implanted subjects following the preoperative test protocols using a supplementary questionnaire, the Single Sided Deafness Questionnaire (SSDQ). The third aim was to monitor the subjects' implant or repair issues. In addition, questionnaire results were compared to subjects who underwent pre-operative assessment but were not implanted. All subjects had a UPSHL resulting from various aetiologies including vestibular schwannoma or other skull base tumour removal, viral infections, cochlear trauma, idiopathic sudden hearing loss, and Meniere's disease. There was a significant difference between the implanted groups' pre- and post-operative outcomes measures, indicating a treatment effect from the fitting of the BAHA device. No significant changes were found with the non-implanted groups' longterm outcome measures in regards to their perceived hearing difficulties. No significant correlations were found between outcome measures and gender, age of fitting, length of deafness, or ear affected for either group.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/281380 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Eager, Katrise Mary |
| Publisher | University of Western Australia. School of Surgery |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Copyright Katrise Mary Eager, http://www.itpo.uwa.edu.au/UWA-Computer-And-Software-Use-Regulations.html |
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