First results with the active osseointegrated implant system Osia^® in patients with single-sided deafness

Introduction: The Osia^® System (Cochlear^TM) is an active osseointegrated system intended for the treatment of patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss. It can be also used in cases of single-sided deafness (SSD) for the contralateral routing of signal (CROS). The aim of this study was the evaluation of the audiological and subjective benefit with the Osia system in SSD patients.

Method: Five patients (age 52.8  ±  5.7 years) with long-term SSD since birth or early childhood and with a hearing threshold ≤ 25 dB HL on the contralateral ear were implanted with an Osia to benefit from CROS hearing. Audiological measurements included word recognition score (in  % ) in quiet using the Freiburg monosyllable test and speech intelligibility in noise determined with the Oldenburg sentence test (OLSA; S90OsiaN90contra). Subjective benefit with the Osia system for SSD patients was determined by using the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire.

Results: Word recognition scores (N=5) in quiet improved from 3.0  ±  6,7 %  (unaided) to 93,0  ±  7,6 %  with the Osia system. After three months, speech perception in noise was -1,97  ±  1,07 dB SNR (unaided) and -4,50  ±  0,44 dB SNR (aided with Osia) (N=3). APHAB scores confirm fewer communication problems in everyday listening situations with the Osia (28 % ) compared to the unaided situation (43 % ).

Discussion: The Osia system is a transcutaneous hearing rehabilitation for patients with SSD and a hearing threshold ≤ 25 dB HL on the contralateral ear. There is an advantage of the transcutaneous system concerning intact skin and inflammatory complications.

Poster-PDF A-1524.pdf

Publication History

Article published online:
13 May 2021