The following is a release from EvergreenHealth:
EvergreenHealth Ear, Nose and Throat Care surgeon, Daniel M. Zeitler, M.D., successfully completed the first innovative osseointegrated hearing implant procedure at EvergreenHealth last week. The implant, commercially available as the Cochlear™Baha® system, offers patients a safe and effective treatment for specific types of hearing loss not treated adequately by conventional hearing aids. EvergreenHealth hospital is located in Kirkland and serves the surrouding communities.
“Research has shown that individuals with untreated hearing loss are at higher risk of anxiety in social situations, depression and isolation, and even two to five times more likely to develop dementia than those with treated hearing loss,” said Zeitler, an otolaryngologist specializing in otology, neurotology, and cochlear implant surgery. “For a select group of patients who do not benefit from traditional hearing aids due to structural abnormalities of the ear precluding their use or other conditions, such as chronic inflammation or ear canal drainage, the Baha implant provides a treatment option that can substantially improve hearing without the risk associated with more complex surgeries.”
Zeitler, the only board-certified, fellowship-trained ear and skull base surgeon practicing on the Puget Sound’s Eastside, performed the surgery at EvergreenHealth after the patient had been evaluated and audiologically approved for the device at Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic. According to Zeitler, the minor outpatient procedure to place the implant can be completed in less than thirty minutes by an experienced surgical team.
“Many of my patients with hearing loss want to be able enjoy every day things like listening to the news or having a conversation over dinner with friends that they haven’t been able to do for many years,” said Zeitler. “With the osseointegrated auditory implant we can achieve healthy natural hearing for more of our patients that satisfies their lifestyles with very little downtime.”
Once implanted, the Baha system uses an external sound processor attached to a small titanium fixture implanted in the skull bone behind the nonfunctioning ear to allow the bone to transfer sound to a functioning cochlea. The process, known as direct bone conduction, bypasses the damaged middle ear as an alternative method for achieving hearing. EvergreenHealth uses one of the newest generations of bone anchored auditory implants approved by the Food and Drug Administration in early 2015.
The Cochlear Baha is currently only one of two devices that works through direct bone conduction, offering an advantage over conventional bone conduction devices in which sound waves must travel through skin and tissue before reaching the ear. Beyond better sound quality, many patients fitted with an osseointegrated hearing implant cite improved comfort and greater cosmetic satisfaction compared to other hearing aids.
The EvergreenHealth Ear, Nose and Throat Care team works closely with patients to select the best treatment options to manage a range of hearing issues. Adults with conductive or mixed hearing loss or single-sided deafness, or deafness in one ear only, are typically good candidates for an osseointegrated auditory implant. Pediatric patients ages five and above with microtia/atresia, a condition where the ear and/or ear canal does not fully develop, can also benefit from the implant as can children with similar hearing loss types as the adults. During an evaluation visit, an Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic audiologist will fit patients with a special Baha test headband to assess its potential effectiveness and allow patients to experience bone conducting sound as part of the decision-making process.
Medicare and most of the private insurance plans cover the cost of the surgical procedure. For more information about EvergreenHealth Ear, Nose and Throat Care, visit www.evergreenhealth.com/ent or call 425-899-4590.
