Cartilage conduction hearing aid clinic in Kyushu University Hospital

Abstract

Cartilage conduction hearing aids (CCHAs) are newly developed hearing devices that use the phenomenon wherein externally vibrated aural cartilage generates sound within the external ear canal, resulting in an amplified sound at the inner ear. We collected the clinical information of patients who visited our CCHA clinic of Kyushu University Hospital during its first two years of operation. We analyzed the patient profiles, hearing test results, and decision to purchase a CCHA. The percentage of patients who purchased a CCHA among those who tried it was higher in patients with aural atresia and chronic otitis media with persistent otorrhea than in those with other diseases. Patients who showed a better functional gain by the CCHA had a higher rate of purchasing it. However, in patients who were already wearing other types of hearing devices, the comparison of the aided threshold of their current device and the CCHA did not affect the purchase decision. These findings suggest that patients consider factors other than the hearing outcome, such as the comfort, when deciding whether or not to switch from their currently used hearing device to a CCHA.