I did the BAHA fitting yesterday with the help of the rep who came in
from Dallas. The biggest thing was snapping the device onto the
abutment in the patient's head. You can't push straight in. You have
to tilt it and rock it on. The rep said there was not a way to
electroacoustically test the device, but there is a little thick
plastic post you can attack it to and put it against your forehead or
mastoid to listen to. However, for us who are hearing impaired that is
difficult. I could barely tell it was amplifying. You have to stop up
your ears, then listen. The patient can't have more than a 45dB
average hearing loss of nerve function in one ear for the device to be
effective. Don't think of its use as just for atresia. It can be used
for draining conductive ears, sudden hearing loss, etc. It can be used
in lieu of a transcranial aid if the non-affected ear is better than
45dB. I ordered the aid (Divino) from Cochlear America that makes the
Nuclueus CI. Very interesting. The patient did really well.