Use and Operation
Bone-anchored hearing aids use a surgically implanted abutment to transmit sound by direct conduction through bone to the inner ear, bypassing the external auditory canal and middle ear. A titanium prosthesis is surgically embedded into the skull with a small abutment exposed outside the skin. A sound processor sits on this abutment and transmits sound vibrations to the titanium implant. The implant vibrates the skull and inner ear, which stimulate the nerve fibers of the inner ear, allowing hearing.
Both Cochlear and Oticon Medical's Baha bone conduction hearing solutions utilize a bone-anchored sound processor that convert incoming sound into vibrations. Cochlear Baha utilises a snap-lock coupling which allows them to clip onto the implanted abutment, The Oticon Ponto uses a spring based coupling. The sound processor units run on small circular batteries which last approx 6 to 14 days. The coupling is designed to detach upon impact as a safety feature to prevent damage to the bone or surrounding tissues.
Read more about this topic: Bone Anchored Hearing Aid
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