BAHA Surgery on Webcast

[Sonja]

I know alot ot folks have questions about the BAHA inplant and surgery. Hartford Hospital has a webcast of a BAHA surgery. The webcast is an actual surgery performed on a lady that has SSD as a result of an injury (auto accident) when she was an infant.  There is also an audiologist on the program and they do answer questions that were sent in by live viewes (it was aired in January 2009). I hope this will help those interested in the BAHA and the surgery. Please do not view if you do not want to see the surgery(don't want to turn anyone off).

I had the BAHA inplant surgery at the same time I had AN surgery on February 18, 2009. I can not say that the BAHA was a piece of cake because it was done along with the AN surgery. I can say I am not having any recovery issues with the inplant. The processor will not be installed for 90 days to give the titanium rod enough time to anchor into my bone successfully. Alot of folks here have said the BAHA is a pice of cake in comparison to the AN surgery.

Here is the link to the webcast at Hartford Hospital.

http://www.or-live.com/HartfordHospital/1864/

Sonja

[Jim Scott]

Sonja ~

Thanks for the link.  I didn't have the 60 minutes it takes to watch the entire operation but I will at a later date.  This should be very informative for any potential BAHA recipient.   Kudos to you for finding and linking this for us. 

Jim

[Sam Rush]

 Very interesting and well done, but I think the audiologist overstated that BAHA can give "near normal" hearing.  It is nowhere near normal, but I find it  helpful in certain limited situations. I hope for the day when the technology will advance to the point that the processor does give near normal hearing !!!

[leapyrtwins]

Sonja -

thanks for the link.  I'll watch the surgery later this evening when I get home from work.

I was awake during my BAHA implant - only had local anesthesia - and have often wondered what was going on that I couldn't see, so I'm anxious to watch the webcast.

I'm with Sam.  Although I adore my BAHA, it doesn't give me "near normal" hearing.  IMO it's the next best thing though.

Jan

[wendysig]

Sonja,

Thanks for thsi link.  Like Jan, I was awake for my BAHA surgery (or most of it anyway) and was very curious regarding exactly what was happening.  I had read many articles and seen stil pictures of the procedure, but of course, it's not the same as actually seeing the surgery.  I found it really interesting to watch -- it was pretty much what I expected with a couple of surprises, but not many. 

Thanks again,
Wendy

[leapyrtwins]

Sonja -

finally got around to watching this Webcast.

I found it fascinating and very informative. 

Thanks again,

Jan

[ScoobyDoo]

Would you compare BAHA's hearing to that of a hearing aid?  I found that a hearing aid could help me, but it wasn't even close to normal hearing.  It was certainly helpful, though.

Do you need complete SSD deafness for a BAHA?  I do have limited hearing in my rt ear.  Would a BAHA be an option?

Sonja -

thanks for the link.  I'll watch the surgery later this evening when I get home from work.

I was awake during my BAHA implant - only had local anesthesia - and have often wondered what was going on that I couldn't see, so I'm anxious to watch the webcast.

I'm with Sam.  Although I adore my BAHA, it doesn't give me "near normal" hearing.  IMO it's the next best thing though.

Jan

[chocolatetruffle]

thanks for sharing the link!!! that was cool!!!

[leapyrtwins]

Scooby -

I'm not a BAHA expert, but I'm fairly certain one of the requirements of the BAHA is that you have to be unilaterally deaf - 100% deaf on one side.

You also have to have some degree of hearing on your "good" side.

Jan