The bone anchored hearing aid--the third option for otosclerosis.

The bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) has mainly been used for the treatment of hearing loss in patients with congenital conductive problems or chronic suppurative otitis media. In a five-year period, 32 otosclerotic patients have been referred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for consideration of a BAHA. Ten of these patients have been fitted and gained benefit compared to their previous hearing aid. The benefits are not necessarily those in hearing ability but in some cases relate to cosmetic or comfort improvements. This paper demonstrates that the BAHA offers a third treatment option for otosclerosis in patients who cannot or will not undergo stapedectomy and experience difficulty with conventional hearing aids.