M.ALSHEIKH Technique: Modification to the Soft Tissue Reduction in the Baha Attract Surgery.

To describe a modification to the Baha Attract surgical technique that aims to enhance skin closure, create smooth skin across the surface of the wound, reduce surgery time, and improve cosmetics of the surgical site. Retrospective chart review. Patients were implanted between 2014 and 2016 at King Fahad General Hospital (KFGH) (Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

Modified Baha Punch Technique: Least Invasive, Shortest Time and No Suturing.

To describe a new Baha surgical procedure (Modified Punch Technique) with a smaller punch hole, a minimal incision and the use of the hydroxyapatite-coated abutment (BIA400). Retrospective chart review. Patients were implanted between 2012 and 2013 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

The effect of increased stiffness of the incudostapedial joint on the transmission of air-conducted sound by the human middle ear.

Objective: To study the possible effects of increased stiffness at the incudostapedial joint (ISJ) on sound transmission in the human middle ear.

Background: The physiologic role played by the IS joint in the mechanics of human middle ear function is unclear. It is also unclear how fixation of this joint might manifest itself and what the implications are of fixing this joint during surgical reconstruction.

Prosthetic reconstruction from the tympanic membrane to the stapes head or to the stapes footplate? A laser Doppler study.

Background: In the absence of the incus, many surgeons believe that reconstruction from the tympanic membrane to the stapes head is more effective than reconstruction to the stapes footplate. This has rarely been tested empirically. Published better clinical results with reconstruction to the stapes head might simply reflect less underlying disease in ears with an intact stapes superstructure.

Effect of Silastic sheeting over the round window niche on sound transmission in the intact human middle ear.

Background: Silastic sheeting is commonly used in middle ear surgery to prevent the formation of adhesions between the tympanic membrane and the medial bony wall of the middle ear cavity. This sheeting is often placed, advertently or inadvertently, so as to cover the round window niche. The effects of mechanically shielding the round window niche in the presence of an intact tympanic membrane and ossicular chain have not been empirically studied to date.

Linearity and lever ratio of the normal and reconstructed cadaveric human middle ear.

Hypothesis: The linearity and the level ratio are different in reconstructed ears.

Background: The linearity of the reconstructed human middle ear (ME) has not been previously explored. It is important to analyze if high sound pressure levels (SPLs) result in distortion due to nonlinearities particularly because hearing aids have high-output SPLs.

Output vibration measurements of bone-anchored hearing AIDS.

Hypothesis: Different bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) processors have different output vibration characteristics, which depend on the mechanical load and the volume setting. Responses will differ between live heads and dry or plastic skulls.

Background: The BAHA is an implantable bone-conduction device.

Is there loss of vibration amplitude across the snap coupling of the bone-anchored hearing aid?

Hypothesis: There is loss of vibration transmission across the snap coupling connecting the Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid transducer to the implanted abutment on the head.

Background: The only nonrigid part of the Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid system is the connection between the output of the transducer and the abutment. Vibration losses across the coupling have not been previously measured.