2023 Volume 44 Issue 1 Pages 78-85
Hearing level of new-born babies with unilateral congenital aural atresia should be evaluated within the first few months of birth. We mostly classify the patients as follows; conductive/mixed hearing loss in affected ears, and normal hearing in unaffected ears. Regular evaluations for hearing level and treatments for otitis media in unaffected ears are important in speech and language development. In addition, it is necessary to peal an eye for the risk of cholesteatoma. Children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) due to congenital aural atresia (CAA) suffer from a wide range of auditory difficulties, but until recently we have had only meatoplasty and tympanoplasty to deal with hearing impairment, with low success rate. However, new devices to improve hearing impairment regarding UHL due to CAA have recently appeared, such as cartilage conduction hearing aids, bone conductive implants (BAHA and Bonebridge), and active middle ear implants (Vibrant Soundbridge: VSB). These devices have been utilized to improve hearing impairment with UHL due to CAA, but it remains unclear when to use these devices, also which optimal devices to use for individuals.
We normally introduce cartilage conduction hearing aids without operation to children with UHL due to CAA. We have 51 patients (aged 0–15) with UHL due to CAA in our hospital. 10 patients used cartilage conduction hearing aids and 1 patient used air conductive hearing aid. Almost all of these 11 patients recognized improvement of auditory difficulties. Only 4 out of them have received educational supports especially for audibility. As a whole, we have to more inform patients and their parents of their auditory difficulties, which facilitate more effective use of hearing aids and auditory implants.
