Bone-anchored hearing aid in Iran
Hearing is one of the five basic senses humans have. However, due to some diseases, patients may suffer from a hearing loss. Patients with hearing loss will be unable to hear sounds either partially or totally. Today there are few ways to restore hearing, and one of them is bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA).
Bone-anchored hearing aid is a common treatment in many countries. Many patients around the world undergo BAHA to restore their hearing sense. The thing is; this treatment can be very expensive in some countries especially in Europe and the United States; therefore, many patients choose to have Bone-anchored hearing aid surgery abroad where it costs less.
For many patients who do not want to spend a fortune on the surgery and even to those who just seek excellent medical service, Iran can be the best choice. Keep reading to learn more about the surgery and the advantages of having bone-anchored hearing aid in Iran with a highly experienced ENT surgeon like Dr. Saeedi.
What is bone-anchored hearing aid?
Bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) is a medical device that converts sounds into vibrations and transmits those vibrations through the skull towards the inner ear.
Bone anchored hearing aid parts and components
The device consists of two parts, the first one is a titanium implant that is put in the bone and the other one is the sound processor. The external part is responsible for picking up the sounds and converting them into vibrations. The external part is usually fixed to the other part using a built-in magnet or by clipping into the abutment.
Bone anchored hearing aid accessories
After having the surgery, you can find a lot of accessories that can help you in your life. Some of the accessories are used to personalize the looks of the device while others can be useful like those that can be connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth to make phone calls.
Some parents choose to buy a band for their child instead of bone-anchored hearing loss surgery. The band helps children restore hearing without surgery. It might not be helpful for everyone but it is a good choice to help some children overcome hearing loss.
Of course, the battery is one of the common accessories. There are batteries for every type of BAHA device.
Candidacy for bone-anchored hearing aids
To be a good candidate for bone-anchored hearing aids, you should first be over the age of 5 suffering from a mixed or conductive hearing loss that cannot be treated properly with conventional hearing aids. Other candidates are patients with specific malformations like those with absent ear canal or with an abnormal route of the facial nerve. You also need to have at least one inner ear that functions well.
Bone anchored hearing devices can be also used to treat patients with single-sided deafness. They are also recommended as a treatment for patients with extreme cases with ear infections.
How bone-anchored hearing aids surgery is done?
The surgeon will expose the bone behind your ear after creating a straight or a U-shaped cut. Afterward, the surgeon will drill a hole in the bone. The depth of the hole depends on the thickness of the bone (usually around 3 to 4 mm). When the surgeon finishes drilling, he/she will widen the hole using a special device.
Bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) fixture will take place after the widening. The surgeon will place a small titanium implant into the mastoid bone. There can be many types of bone-anchored hearing aids. Some of them might have a small abutment that can be connected to the external part of the device.
For some patients with acoustic neuroma, BAHA is implanted during the operation of acoustic neuroma. The period of the surgery and the types of anesthesia varies depending on the type of surgery. If the surgeon chooses minimally invasive surgery, it takes around 15 minutes under local anesthesia.
Bone anchored hearing aid post-op care
After the surgery, it is important to keep the wound dry for the next 5 to 7 days. This means the patient cannot take a shower and clean his/her hair during the following week.
After one week, you should start using a special brush to clean the area around the wound. You should clean the brush after the use with warm water and soap and let it dry. Keep in mind that you need to replace the brush every 3 months.
The hair around the wound should always be short to prevent it from interfering with its hearing and reduce the chances of infection.
Bone anchored hearing aid risks and complications
As with most surgeries, there is a chance of infection due to bone-anchored hearing aid procedure but it is not common. Osseointegration after the surgery is possible but its chances are less than 5%. On rare occasions, the surgery could lead to CSF leak.
Bone anchored hearing aid recovery time
It usually takes from 3 weeks to 3 months to recover after BAHA surgery. After the recovery, the surgeon will program the hearing aid device.
Bone anchored hearing aid pros and cons
Since there are no perfect solutions for any disease, bone-anchored hearing aid operation has some pros and cons. It is up to you to weigh the advantages and the disadvantages to decide if the surgery if good for you or your child.
The advantages of bone-anchored hearing aid
The benefits of bone-anchored hearing aids include the following:
- The device does not add any pressure against your skin nor your skull.
- Bone anchored hearing aid surgery is simple, so it will not cause more damage to the hearing.
- The implant provides better hearing for patients with conductive deafness (such as hearing loss caused by otosclerosis). There will be less whistling accompanied by the hearing aid.
- It is perfect for children who cannot use conventional hearing aid due to external ear deformation, skin conditions, or chronic ear discharges.
- The device provides better sounds than other hearing aids
The disadvantages of bone-anchored hearing aid
The cons of bone-anchored hearing aids include the following:
- It is possible to suffer from a few side effects after the surgery.
- There is a chance of skin irritation around the device.
- In some cases, the bone around the device will fail to grow so it will fall out.
- It can be hard for children to clean the area near the device.
Bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) vs bone conduction hearing aid (BCHA)
Both bone conduction hearing aid and BAHA are medical devices that use vibration to conduct sound. A BAHA is surgically implanted in the bone while BCHA is not implanted.
Bone anchored hearing aid and MRI safety
Unless you are told that the device you are using is not MRI safe, you can undergo an MRI scan without worrying. Bone anchored hearing aid is designed to be MRI compatible. All you have to do is to remove the processor before undergoing the MRI.
Bone-anchored hearing aid in Iran
Iran is one of the best countries for you if you are seeking medical service. There are many reasons for performing the surgery in Iran, including:
The best cost of bone-anchored hearing aid
In Iran, you can enjoy medical services at a very low price. In general, the prices in Iran are quite low compared to other countries. Sometimes, the difference can be quite significant that the treatment will cost much less in Iran even though you will have to pay for the flight, visa, and the hotel.
The distinguished medical services and surgeons in Iran
Even with the low prices, the medical services in Iran are excellent. The hospitals in Iran are provided with advanced equipment. They are prepared to ensure your safety even when performing complicated surgeries.
Iranian surgeons on the other hand are among the best surgeons in the world. Iran is famous to be the home of a lot of skilled and experienced surgeons.
Bone anchored hearing aid in Iran with Dr. Saeedi
If you want to travel to undergo the surgery of bone-anchored hearing aid in Iran then you should undergo it with Dr. Saeedi. Dr. Masoumeh Saeedi is one of the best ENT surgeons in Iran.
Dr. Saeedi has a lot of experience. For the past 12 years, she has performed over 5,000 successful surgeries. To keep her medical knowledge up to date, Dr. Saeedi has attended many international courses over the years in countries like South Korea, France, Germany and others.
Cost of bone-anchored hearing aid in Iran with Dr. Saeedi
First, you should know that the cost of bone-anchored hearing aid includes the price of the device and the fees and the expenses of the hospital. In the United States of America, the cost of the surgery is around $10,000 (including the price of the device). In the United Kingdom, the cost can be up to $20,000. In Iran, you can save a lot of money. Even though the price of the device can cost you the same, the surgeon and hospital fees are much less.
Bone anchored hearing aid vs cochlear implant
Both bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) and cochlear implant are used to treat hearing loss. However, BAHA is for people with conductive and mixed hearing loss, or single-sided deafness, while cochlear implant is for severe cases of sensorineural hearing loss or for inner ear damage.
Frequently asked questions about bone-anchored hearing aid
What is bone-anchored hearing aids?
Bone anchored hearing aids are devices that are used to help some patients restore hearing. As the name suggests, those devices are usually fixed to the skull.
Is a bone-anchored hearing aid the same as a cochlear implant?
No, bone-anchored hearing aid and cochlear implants are very different from each other. Even though there are some similarities, but each one of them is used for different conditions.
How do bone-anchored hearing aids work?
Bone anchored hearing aids transform sounds into vibrations. Then they send those vibrations through the bone to the inner ear.
How to wear bone-anchored hearing aid?
One of the parts is fixed to the skull, the other can be attached to the first using a built-in magnet.
What does a bone-anchored hearing aid look like?
There are several types of bone-anchored hearing aids. Some of them might have a small abutment connected to the external part of the device.
Why use bone-anchored hearing aids?
In some cases, conventional hearing aids do not help the patient restore hearing. In such cases, BAHA pops up as a proper treatment.