Evaluation of long-term patient satisfaction and experience with the Baha(®) bone conduction implant

Objective: Evaluate long-term patient satisfaction with bone-anchored hearing aids (the Baha(R), now referred to by Cochlear as a 'bone conduction implant') in our hospital clinic spanning the eighteen-year period from the inception of our Baha program. The researchers further wished to analyse the various factors leading to patient satisfaction/dissatisfaction with their Baha. We developed a new questionnaire to obtain a comprehensive impression of individual patient practices, general satisfaction, and experiences with their Baha in respect to time spent using Baha, sound quality, annoyance from noise disturbance, ease of communication, cosmetic appearance, and satisfaction with the Baha amongst patient relatives, an aspect not previously investigated. Design: The study design was retrospective and executed as a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed by the authors of this paper. Study sample: Patients operated on for a Baha at our hospital from 1989 to 2007. Results: The response rate was 92.4%. Eighty-six percent were satisfied or very satisfied with their Baha. Ninety-one percent of respondents could communicate using their Baha in a one-on-one conversational setting. A primary factor leading to dissatisfaction, experienced by 70% of responding patients, was annoyance from wind noise. Conclusions: Baha was found to yield good overall patient satisfaction over the long-term, and it was possible to identify specific factors attributing to satisfaction/dissatisfaction.