Subdural Hematoma: A Rare Adverse Complication From Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Placement.

OBJECTIVE: Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) are bone conduction hearing aids commonly implantated by Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeons. We present the first documented case of a subdural hematoma secondary to primary fixation of a BAHA. PATIENT: We present a 65-year-old male patient undergoing a left sided BAHA for bilateral chronic ear infections and difficulty wearing conventional hearing aids. The procedure was uneventful, however, the patient developed a postoperative large acute left temporoparietal intracerebral hematoma associated with an ipsilateral acute subdural hematoma. This required emergency transfer to the local tertiary neurosurgical center for a left decompressive craniotomy and evacuation of the hematoma. RESULTS: The patient required a prolonged stay on an intensive care unit and was eventually discharged to the community for on-going neurological rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: This is a rare and devastating complication BAHA surgery. Otologist, general ENT surgeons, and neurosurgeons should be aware of this life-threatening complication of BAHA surgery.