Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 February 2021
The audiological benefits of a bone conducting hearing implant are well documented; however, there is a paucity of literature comparing pre- and post-operative quality of life benefits. This study assessed the quality of life status before and after the device is implanted.
A prospective study was conducted of all adult bone conducting hearing implants inserted in a teaching hospital between 2012 and 2017. All patients completed the Glasgow Health Status Inventory, a validated quality of life questionnaire, before and three to six months after implantation.
Sixty-two patients received a unilateral bone conducting hearing implant. All scores except the social score improved post-operatively. The paired t-test showed that the differences in the means for the Glasgow Health Status Inventory total, general and physical scores were statistically significant at the 5 per cent level (p < 0.0001).
This study, one of the few to assess quality of life pre- and post-implantation, showed a vast improvement in patients’ perceived quality of life from the pre- to the post-operative phase.
Miss S Meghji takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper
Presented as a poster at the 6th International Congress on Bone Conduction Hearing and Related Technologies (‘OSSEO 2017’), 17–20 May 2017, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.