Can a BAHA® device be implanted at the same time an atresia repair is done?
Yes. Occasionally when atresia repairs are undertaken in patients who have scores of five to six, a "sleeper" BAHA® titanium abutment is placed simultaneously. A small portion of a BAHA® abutment is inserted in the bone of the skull and allowed to remain until needed. A small in-office procedure is sometimes necessary to install the remainder of the abutment before fitting the external sound producing portion of the device. This allows for the possibility of the BAHA® device to be used without a separate surgery following a period of time to allow the bone to integrate with the screw if the repaired canal does not restore hearing to within normal limits.
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