6.2. Bone conduction hearing devices (BCHD)
Introduction:
Section 3.9 discussed the assessment process for obtaining bone conduction hearing implants. This section will look in more detail at the technology itself.
A bone conduction hearing device (BCHD) transmits sound directly through the skull bone to the cochlea, bypassing the outer and middle ear cavity.
BCHDs can be fitted when there is a purely conductive hearing loss, eg glue ear, long-term middle ear problems, or when behind-the-ear (BTE) HAs are not appropriate, eg microtia, atresia, or for single-sided deafness (SSD).
A BCHD can be surgically implanted.
However, there are other ways for BCHDs to be worn:
- on a softband, eg The Ponto Softband – enter the world of sound | Oticon Medical
- on a hardband, eg Cochlear™ Baha® Start | Baha SoundArc | Cochlear
- on a sticky pad, eg ADHEAR Bone Conduction System (medel.com)
How a BCHD works
Bone conduction hearing implant (MED-EL)
Bone conduction hearing aid (non-surgical) (MED-EL)
Baha (Cochlear)
A BCHD (not implanted) gently vibrates the skull bone. The microphones on the sound processor (worn behind the ear) pick up sounds and convert these sounds to vibrations, which are carried through the skull bone to the inner ear.
Bone conduction hearing implants have two parts: a titanium bone implant and an external sound processor. The external microphone and sound processor of the bone-anchored device picks up sounds and converts them into vibrations to the embedded implant. In turn, the implant vibrates the surrounding bone, which sets up sound waves in the inner ear that stimulate the hair cells and result in the firing of the auditory nerve.
Parts of the device
- Sound processor
- Abutment (if bone anchored)
- Implanted magnet (if a magnetic retention)
- Osseointegrated implant
Makes and models available in the UK
MED-EL: ADHEAR, BONEBRIDGE
Cochlear: Baha, Osia
Oticon Medical: Ponto
BHM: Contact Mini
Considerations for QToDs
Checking the device
Connectivity
Radio aids
It is not possible to plug a receiver into a BCHD. A receiver may be plugged into the remote microphone/streamer and the radio aid transmission can be streamed to the BCHD.
Cochlear
Baha® 5 Hearing Device Pairing Manual with Mini Mic | Cochlear
Baha® 5 Hearing Device Pairing Manual with Mini Mic | Cochlear
Oticon
How to pair Oticon Ponto to Edu Mic:
Enjoy sound from all your favourite devices | Oticon Medical
MED-EL
ADHEAR Connectivity (medel.com)
SAMBA Connectivity (medel.com)
SAMBA 2 Optional Accessories (medel.com)
Support and help for SAMBA 2 GO (medel.com) Streaming with SAMBA 2 GO
Support and help for SAMBA 2 GO (medel.com) Using remote microphones
How to connect SAMBA 2 GO to FM receiver
(Disclaimer – video shows a Phonak MLXi and Phonak Roger Pen – Note MLXI is not compatible with Phonak Roger Pen.)
Bluetooth pairing
Android
Connect hearing aids to your device – Android accessibility help (google.com)
iOS
Use Made for iPhone hearing devices – Apple Support (UK)
Amazon
Hearing accessibility | Amazon.com
Accessibility features for Fire TV – Amazon customer service – there is a video on this link demonstrating how to pair hearing devices with Amazon Fire TV
Further reading
- Bone conduction hearing devices | Hearing implants (ndcs.org.uk)
- Bone conduction hearing technology | Technology articles (ndcs.org.uk)
- Using radio aids and streamers online | Technology articles (ndcs.org.uk)
- NDCS Video – Bone Conduction headphones info
- Baha® 6 Max Sound Processor (cochlear.com) – Device Support
- Adjusting volume with the Cochlear Baha Remote Control
- Turning the sound processor on and off (cochlear.com)
- Changing program (cochlear.com)
- Opening the tamper-resistant battery door (cochlear.com)
- Attaching to a Baha SoundArc™ (cochlear.com)
- Attaching to a Baha Softband (cochlear.com)
- Attaching the Safety Line (cochlear.com)
- https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/products-and-accessories/cochlear-baha-system/baha-6-max-sound-processor
- Baha® 6 Max Hearing Sound Processor | Cochlear
Bone conduction hearing aids | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Next pages in this section
6.4 Assistive Listening Technology (ALT) – radio aids and proprietary remote microphone systems
6.7 Other hearing technologies
Previous page in this section
6.1 Hearing aids
Other sections
- Section 1 Anatomy and physiology of the ear
- Section 2 Aetiology and types of deafness
- Section 3 Auditory perception and hearing testing
- Section 4 Acoustics and physics of sound
- Section 5 Listening skills and functional hearing
