Transcutaneous Baha Attract system: Long-term outcomes of the French multicenter study.

Background: Bone conduction implants based on abutment-driven acoustic transmission result in good hearing outcomes; however, skin complications impact the quality of life (QOL) and possibly the viability of the device for many patients. The transcutaneous magnetic Baha Attract technology was developed with the goal of minimising skin complications.

Objectives: To analyse surgical, auditory and QOL outcomes for patients implanted with the Baha Attract.

Newborn hearing screening on infants at risk.

Objectives: This article presents the results of newborn hearing screenings on infants at risk of hearing impairment at the French University Hospital of Besançon from 2001 to 2007.

Materials And Methods: All newborns at risk of hearing impairment were tested according to the method recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH): a two-step automated oto-acoustic emissions (AOAE) program, completed by an auditory brainstem response (ABR) for the positive diagnosis of hearing impairment. The screening started with AOAE on the third day of life, at the earliest.

A new large deletion in the DFNB1 locus causes nonsyndromic hearing loss.

Mutations in the GJB2 gene encoding the gap junction protein connexin 26 are responsible for up to 30% of all cases of autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (HI) with prelingual onset in most populations. The corresponding locus DFNB1, located on chromosome 13q11-q12, is also affected by three distinct deletions. These deletions extended distally to GJB2, which remains intact.