This study included 25 adult patients (mean age at implantation 57.5 years). There was a statistically significant improvement in the average SSQ score in all three sections of the questionnaire with the use of the BAHA. Our patients experienced most marked benefits in speech hearing in challenging listening situations. All patients remain consistent users and there has been no explantation to date.

Good speech perception can be achieved in some cases, and CI should be considered as an option for auditory rehabilitation in patients with VS.

This article discusses hearing impairment and the frequency with which it occurs in older adults. Anatomy and physiology of the ear are examined. Categories of hearing loss, causes, assessment and management are explored, including hearing aids, auditory implants and approaches to communication with hearing-impaired patients.

No abstract