ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Otolaryngology
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1614778
Implantable bone conduction devices enhance the functional ear reconstruction in pediatric microtia patients
Provisionally accepted
- Eye and Ent Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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This study evaluates 1) audiometric outcomes and complications of simultaneous bone conduction device (BCD) implantation with auricular reconstruction, and 2) comparative effectiveness of three BCDs.Methods: Forty-one bilateral microtia patients (ranged from 8 to 16 years old) undergoing combined surgery from 2018.1 to 2024.1 were retrospectively analyzed. Audiometric parameters (free-field thresholds, speech recognition scores) and complications were compared across Baha Attract (n=13), Sophono (n=18), and Bone Bridge (n=10) groups.Results: Significant improvements occurred in aided versus unaided conditions; Mean free-field threshold: 57.6±7.42 dB vs 22.19±6.40 dB (p<0.001); Speech recognition threshold: 69.42±4.21 dB vs 39.16±6.78 dB (p<0.001). No significant inter-group differences emerged in hearing gains (p>0.05). Device-related complications included transient skin reactions, hematoma, and pressure erythema, all resolved conservatively. Hearing threshold in the free field and Speech recognition in quiet significantly improved after being aided by Baha Attract, Sophone, and Bone Bridge hearing aids. Hearing gain of all subgroups in frequencies showed no significant differences. After the combined surgeries, no patients from all of the subgroups reported major adverse events that affected the safety of the reconstructed auricles or the implants.Different implants demonstrated satisfactory hearing performances in bilateral microtia children. Combined implantation with auricle reconstruction was a safe and effective surgery.
Keywords: microtia, Hearing Loss, Auricle Reconstruction, Bone conduction implant, Surgery
Received: 19 Apr 2025; Accepted: 27 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Chen, Li, Ren, Wu, Gao, He, Fu, Zhu and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yaying Zhu, Eye and Ent Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Tianyu Zhang, Eye and Ent Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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