Transcranial contralateral cochlear stimulation in unilateral deafness

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Bone Anchored Cochlear Stimulator (BAHA) in transcranial routing of signal by implanting the deaf ear. Eighteen patients with unilateral deafness were included in a multisite study. They had a 1-month pre-implantation trial with a contralateral routing of signal (CROS) hearing aid. Their performance with BAHA was compared with the CROS device using speech reception thresholds, speech recognition performance in noise, and the Abbreviated Profile Hearing Benefit and Single Sided Deafness questionnaires. Patients reported a significant improvement in speech intelligibility in noise and greater benefit from BAHA compared with CROS hearing aids. Patients were satisfied with the device and its impact on their quality of life. No major complications were reported. BAHA is effective in unilateral deafness. Auditory stimuli from the deaf side can be transmitted to the good ear, avoiding the limitations inherent in CROS amplification.