Abstract
Open-fit hearing aids (OFHAs) may be of benefit for some individuals with chronic outer and middle ear conditions for which boneanchored hearing devices (BAHDs) are normally recommended. The purpose of this study was to compare performance between OFHAs and BAHDs. A Starkey Destiny 800 OFHA was fit on eight adult BAHD users and speech perception measures in quiet and in background noise were compared under two different test conditions: i) BAHD only and ii) OFHA only. Equivalent outcome measure performance between these two conditions suggests that the OFHA was able to provide sufficient amplification for mild to moderate degrees of hearing loss (pure-tone averages (PTAs) less than 47 dB HL). The improved speech perception performances and increased loudness ratings observed for several of the participants with moderately-severe to severe degrees of hearing loss (PTAs of 47 dB HL or greater) in the BAHD only condition suggest that the OFHA did not provide sufficient amplification for these individuals. Therefore, OFHAs may be a successful alternative to the BAHD for individuals with no more than a moderate conductive hearing loss who are unable or unwilling to undergo implant surgery or unable to wear conventional hearing aids due to allergies, irritation, or chronic infection associated with the ear being blocked with a shell or earmold.
Highlights
Most individuals with hearing loss can benefit from conventional air-conduction hearing aids (HAs), which are traditionally placed partially or completely in the ear canal.[1]
A Starkey Destiny 800 open-fit hearing aids (OFHAs) was fit on eight adult bone-anchored hearing device (BAHD) users and speech perception measures in quiet and in background noise were compared under two different test conditions: i) BAHD only and ii) OFHA only
We were interested in the following research question: Are OFHAs a viable audiological alternative for individuals with mild to severe hearing loss who are unable or unwilling to undergo BAHD implant surgery or unable to wear conventional HAs due to allergies, irritation, or chronic infection associated with the ear being blocked with a shell or earmold?
Summary
Most individuals with hearing loss can benefit from conventional air-conduction hearing aids (HAs), which are traditionally placed partially or completely in the ear canal.[1]. Otitis media, that fail to respond to treatment often result in persistent and unpleasant discharge. Infections can be successfully managed in conventional HA patients. Most consistently recur as the conventional HA obstructs the canal, resulting in excessive humidity and lack of drainage, which may provoke and aggravate the infection, possibly leading to otorrhea and long-term cochlear damage.[3,4] Many individuals suffer from recurrent external ear canal problems, or otitis externa, such as discomfort, itching and moisture, that results from wearing an earmold.[5] For these patients, a bone-anchored hearing device (BAHD) can be used instead
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