Clinical Outcome of a Wide-diameter Bone-anchored Hearing Implant and a Surgical Technique With Tissue Preservation

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical outcome of a surgical technique with tissue preservation for a wide bone-anchored hearing implant concerning postoperative complications, skin reactions, implant loss, and implant stability. STUDY DESIGN Consecutive, prospective case series. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Twenty-four adult patients with normal skin quality were enrolled. INTERVENTION(S) Implantation of bone-anchored implant was performed using a one-stage linear-incision technique with tissue preservation surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES(S) Skin and soft tissue reactions according to Holgers grading system. Pain and numbness measured according to visual analogue scale. Implant stability quotient values were recorded using resonance frequency analysis. Follow-up at 10 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery. RESULTS Primary implant stability was good and a significant increase in implant stability quotient occurred during the first 10 days and continued to be stable throughout the 1-year observation period. No implants were lost. Skin and soft tissue reactions were few, no reaction (Holger grade 0) was observed in 88% of the follow-up examinations and no grade 4 reactions occurred. Pain and numbness were minimal. CONCLUSION The wide implant showed good stability initially and throughout the observation period. Skin and soft tissue reactions were rare and minor. No implants were lost.