Baha® implant candidacy

The Baha Attract and Baha Connect systems are generally indicated for conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss and single-sided sensorineural deafness.

Indications and candidacy criteria may vary between jurisdictions, and health care professionals should check with their relevant regulatory authority.

The following guidelines may help determine the best system depending on the needs of the patient.

Who might be suitable for a Baha implant?

The Baha bone conduction implant system offers smart, small and powerful technology designed to help people hear and communicate with confidence.

Adults and children

You can generally consider Baha implants for people who:

• Meet the minimum age (and/or size) requirement for your country. This is typically between six and 12 months but may vary.

• Have conductive hearing loss in one or both ears. Some countries may require hearing loss in both ears. Patients with conductive hearing loss can benefit from the Baha system because it bypasses any conductive roadblock by routing sound directly to the cochlea via bone conduction.

• Have a mild to moderate mixed component to their hearing loss. The greater the air-bone gap, the more the candidate may benefit.

• Have single-sided deafness – because the Baha system bypasses the deaf ear and delivers sound directly to the hearing ear’s cochlea.

• Get limited benefit from a hearing aid, particularly in challenging listening situations like background noise or when in a big group.

• Are motivated to attend programming sessions, aural rehabilitation sessions and practice listening in daily communication.

• Have no medical contraindications, such as an inability to tolerate anaesthesia, an acute illness or an unstable chronic condition.

Children of most ages may benefit from Baha implants, and there is no upper age limit for Baha implantation.

Choosing the right system

There are two types of Baha® system – the Baha Attract system and the Baha Connect system. Both feature the Baha implant as their foundation.

Baha Attract System

• Conductive hearing loss

• Mild mixed hearing loss

• SSD with low transcranial attenuation

Baha Connect System

• Mixed hearing loss

• SSD with large transcranial attenuation

• Candidates with progressive hearing loss