The impact of implantable technologies on the quality of life in the patients with hearing loss

Abstract

The improvement of the effectiveness of the rehabilitation of the patients with hearing disorders is a priority task for an audiologist. One part of the present work was to assess satisfaction of the patients treated with the use of the hearing aids, drug therapy, and the surgical operations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the implantation of the Baha bone conduction system on the quality of life of the treated patients. The Russian-language versions of the Glasgow Benefit Inventory and Glasgow Children Benefit inventory questionnaires were used. The survey was conducted among the patients with bilateral moderate and moderate-to-severe conductive hearing loss due to congenital malformation of the external and middle ears or chronic suppurative otitis media followed by canal-down operation. A total of 47 patients took part in the present multicenter study. The results demonstrate the high effectiveness of rehabilitation with the use of the implantable bone conduction system. The beneficial effect of the treatment was especially well apparent in the children. The results are comparable with the data of the similarly designed investigations reported in the literature. Peculiarities of the data obtained in the present study and statistical characteristics made it possible to validate the Russian-language versions of the Glasgow Benefit Inventory and Glasgow Children Benefit inventory questionnaires.