Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Study Shows BAHAs Effective

Hearing loss can be cut by as much as half with a bone-anchored hearing aid, according to a large study of the devices. They are also known as BAHAs and are screwed right into the skull, transmitting sound through bone. The results were presented by researchers from Loyola University at the 10th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Auditory Technologies in San Diego.

But unlike cochlear implants, the device cannot help deaf patients whose inner ears have been damaged. But if the inner ear is intact, the BAHA can vibrate the bone structure and create a nerve impulse that can be recognized by the brain. The operation can run as much as $15,000.