Osseointegrated hearing implant surgery: outcomes using a minimal soft tissue removal technique.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

(1) To report on the results and complications arising from using a minimal tissue removal procedure for the placement of an osseointegrated hearing implant. (2) To comment on the advantages and disadvantages for this technique compared to current standard techniques.

STUDY DESIGN:

Case series with chart review; 2008-2010.

SETTING:

Tertiary care facility.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

All consecutive patients undergoing osseointegrated hearing implant surgery with a minimal tissue removal technique were reviewed.

TECHNIQUE:

A small incision (1.5 cm) with little to no soft tissue (fat only) removal with good skin to periosteum fixation after placement of implant and abutment.

RESULTS:

Thirty-one adults were assessed (aged 18-86, range of follow-up 3-45 months). No patients experienced hair loss, significant numbness, cosmetic defects, or intraoperative or audiologic complications. Eight patients required some combination of antibiotic ointment, steroid ointment, and/or oral antibiotic for mild erythema around the abutment, and 3 patients required soft tissue revision. Five children under the age of 18 were also assessed. One of these patients required soft tissue revision in the operating room and 1 required removal of the implant.

CONCLUSIONS:

We have demonstrated comparable outcomes to other surgical techniques with less cosmetic and other associated complaints. This study indicates that a less invasive approach for the surgical implantation of the osseointegrated auditory implant may have merit.

• Authors: Karen Hawley, Thomas J Haberkamp
• Journal: Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg) Vol. 148 Issue 4 Pg. 653-7 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1097-6817 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23322628 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Hearing Aids (adverse effects)
• Hearing Loss (surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Osseointegration
• Prosthesis Implantation (adverse effects, methods)
• Retrospective Studies
• Young Adult