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Over a 12-year period, the Birmingham implantation otology unit has implanted more than 300 patients with bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA).The Entific Medical Systems questionnaire was administered to these patients to evaluate the day to day use of the BAHA, professional needs, after-care, wear and tear concerns and service related issues. Data analysis revealed that most patients used their BAHA for more than eight hours a day (90 per cent of BAHA users) and every day of the week (93 per cent of BAHA users). A high degree of satisfaction was expressed as regards sound amplification, listening to radio or television news, listening to music, speech perception in quiet conditions, during conversation with one person in noisy surroundings and conversation with family at home. Some degree of difficulty was expressed with the use of the BAHA during conversation with two or more people in noisy surroundings. A slow process of perceptual acclimatization was noticed with the majority of the patients. The majority of patients were pleased with the service as regards care of the wound, BAHA nursing clinics, device repairs and other service-related issues.

The Birmingham bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) programme has fitted more than 300 patients with unilateral bone-anchored hearing aids since 1988. Some of the patients who benefited well with unilateral aids and who had used bilateral conventional aids previously applied for bilateral amplification. To date, 15 patients have been fitted with bilateral BAHAs. The benefits of bilateral amplification have been compared to unilateral amplification in 11 of these patients. Subjective analysis in the form of validated comprehensive questionnaires was undertaken. The Glasgow benefit inventory (GBI), which is a subjective patient orientated post-interventional questionnaire developed to evaluate any otorhinolaryngological surgery and therapy was administered. The results revealed that the use of bilateral bone-anchored hearing aids significantly enhanced general well being (patient benefit) and improved the patient's state of health (quality of life). The Chung and Stephens questionnaire which addresses specific issues related to binaural hearing was used. Our preliminary results are encouraging and are comparable to the experience of the Nijmegen BAHA group.

The Birmingham osseointegration programme began in 1988 and during the following 10 years there were a total of 351 bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implantees. In the summer of 2000, a postal questionnaire study was undertaken to establish the impact of the bone-anchored hearing aid on all aspects of patients’ lives.We used the Glasgow benefit inventory (GBI), which is a subjective patient orientated post-interventional questionnaire especially developed to evaluate any otorhinolaryngological surgery and therapy. It is maximally sensitive to any change in health status brought about by a specific event: in this case the provision of a BAHA.A total of 312 bone-anchored hearing aid patients, who had used their aids for a minimum period of six months, were sent GBI questionnaires. Two hundred and twenty-seven questionnaires were returned and utilized in the study. The results revealed that the use of a bone-anchored hearing aid significantly enhanced general well being (patient benefit), improved the patient’s state of health (quality of life) and finally was considered a success by patients and their families.

The Birmingham bone-anchored hearing aid programme began in 1988 and by autumn 2000 a total of 351 patients had been fitted with such an aid. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of hearing rehabilitation with the bone-anchored hearing aid. This was a prospective interview-based questionnaire study carried out in the autumn 2000. A total of 84 adult patients were interviewed. Each patient had worn their BAHA for more than one year.The questionnaire used during these interviews was the Glasgow hearing aid benefit profile (GHABP) and the Glasgow hearing aid difference profile (GHADP). This was first derived and validated by Gatehouse in 1999. The use of bone-anchored hearing aids was found to reduce the level of disability and handicap and provided the most patient benefit and satisfaction.

The Birmingham bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) programme, since its inception in 1988, has fitted more than 300 patients with unilateral bone-anchored hearing aids. Recently, some of the patients who benefited extremely well with unilateral aids applied for bilateral amplification. To date, 15 patients have been fitted with bilateral BAHAs. The benefits of bilateral amplification have been compared to unilateral amplification in 11 of these patients who have used their second BAHA for 12 months or longer. Following a subjective analysis in the form of comprehensive questionnaires, objective testing was undertaken to assess specific issues such as 'speech recognition in quiet', 'speech recognition in noise' and a modified 'speech-in-simulated-party-noise' (Plomp) test. 'Speech in quiet' testing revealed a 100 per cent score with both unilateral and bilateral BAHAs. With 'speech in noise' all 11 patients scored marginally better with bilateral aids compared to best unilateral responses. The modified Plomp test demonstrated that bilateral BAHAs provided maximum flexibility when the origin of noise cannot be controlled as in day-to-day situations. In this small case series the results are positive and are comparable to the experience of the Nijmegen BAHA group.