Bone-Anchored and Closed Skin Bonebridge Implant in Adults: Hearing Performances and Quality of Life

{Introduction: Bonebridge(R) is a novel active bone-anchored hearing implant. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ease of implantation, the hearing performances, and the patient-reported benefit. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional study of 24 consecutive adult patients implanted for a mixed hearing loss (13 chronic otitis media (COM) and 11 other aetiologies). Twenty-one implants were placed in the retrosigmoid position and 3 in the mastoid. Audiometry, Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire, as well as 5 implant-specific questions (analogue visual scale [AVS] 0-10 score), was administered. Results: Surgery lasted 73 +/- 29.7 min on average. No major complication occurred. All patients were users at the last follow-up visit (median: 9-month range: 3-25). The average prosthetic gain was similar in COM and other aetiologies (43 +/- 4.8 dB and 50 +/- 7.2, respectively, not significant, Wilcoxon test). Bone-conduction thresholds were not deteriorated by surgery (Kruskal-Wallis test, not significant). APHAB scores improved in all categories except aversiveness (global score 45 +/- 7.0% in COM and 32 +/- 10.2% in others, not significant, and Wilcoxon test). Local pain (AVS: 3.23 +/- 3.2