USAIS BCHI Service: An Introduction

Bone Conduction Hearing Implants

University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service

An introduction

June 2022

Services Provided

• Regional - in the South of England based at the University of Southampton

• Outside NHS, funded by NHS and not for profit business. Mostly provided at the University Highfield Campus

• Cochlear Implants, Bone Conduction Hearing Devices (BCHD) and Middle Ear Implants (MEI)

History of USAIS

• First adult cochlear implantation (1990)

• First child cochlear implantation (1992)

• 1000+ cochlear implant devices inserted

• Took over service for bone anchored hearing aids from Royal South Hants Hospital (2012)

• 250+ BCHD and MEI patients under the care of USAIS (2022)

The Team at USAIS

• Surgeons

• Audiologists

• Rehabilitation staff (including Teachers of the Deaf and Speech and Language Therapists)

• Administration team

• Customer services team for spares and repairs

Bone Conduction Hearing Implants (BCHI) Include

• Bone conduction hearing device (BCHD) on a non-surgical fitting (e.g. softband / Soundarc / AdHear) or surgical abutment fitting ('passive percutaneous' - implant protrudes through skin, processor creates the sound stimulation):

• BCHD on a surgical ‘active transcutaneous’ fitting (implant does not protrude through skin, implant itself creates sound stimulation):

• Middle ear implant (MEI) surgical option (implant does not protrude through skin, implant itself creates sound stimulation):

Devices offered

• Cochlear Baha with Connect (surgical ‘abutment’), softband or Soundarc fittings (non-surgical)

• Oticon Ponto bone anchored hearing system (BAHS) with softband (non-surgical) or surgical abutment fittings

• MED-EL ADHEAR bone conduction device (non-surgical)

• MED-EL Bonebridge bone conduction implant (surgical)

• Cochlear Osia bone conduction implant (surgical)

• MED-EL Vibrant Soundbridge middle ear implant (surgical)

Please note that the type/s of device that you are offered will depend on your type and degree of hearing loss and NHS policy

Assessment

Sessions Who with What for

Audiological assessment

Communication session (children only)

Medical consultation (if patient interested in surgical options)

End of assessment

summary/device choice

Audiological Scientist/ Audiologist

Teacher of the deaf or speech and language therapist

ENT consultant

To assess hearing levels and type of hearing loss.

To fit and assess benefit with a trial device if appropriate.  This may be more than one session.

To do baseline communication assessment.

To go through medical history and discuss surgical options, risks and benefits. Young children may not be able to have surgery until they are older.

Audiological Scientist or Audiologist or Key worker

To make sure you are fully informed about suitable BCHD or MEI for you and to choose the processor colour and device if more than one is suitable.

After Assessment

• There will be a Multidisciplinary Team Panel Meeting where each case is discussed, and the final decision is made

• If a patient's hearing loss is not suitable for a BCHD or MEI they will be considered for other auditory implants. If they are not suitable for another type of auditory implant they will be discharged back to their local Audiology service

• For those who have surgery there is a period of healing of about 8 weeks after the surgery before the external parts of the device can be fitted