Implant survival rate in bone-anchored hearing aid users: long-term results

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term survival rate of bone-anchored hearing aid implants, and to assess the number of patients who stop using their bone-anchored hearing aid. METHOD: Patients who underwent bone-anchored hearing aid surgery between September 1977 and December 1986 were identified from a prospective database. Data were collected from patient records. RESULTS: During the study period, 143 patients were fitted with a bone-anchored hearing aid. Records from 132 patients were found, with a mean follow up of nine years. A total of 150 implants were installed in these patients. A total of 41 implants (27 per cent) were lost during follow up: 17 lost osseointegration, 16 were removed and eight were lost due to direct trauma. At the end of follow up, 119/132 (90 per cent) patients were still using their bone-anchored hearing aid. CONCLUSION: Despite a high incidence of implant loss over time, a large number of patients still continued to use their bone-anchored hearing aid.