Learning Objectives: Middle ear implant surgery has a significant role in those who have suffered hearing loss due to cholesteatoma, either through the disease process or as a result of surgical clearance. Pre-operative planning is a key component in patient selection for middle ear implant surgery in hearing impairment. The objective of this study is to assess whether softband B.A.H.A. testing pre-operatively indicates the improvement achieved post-operatively. If so, we propose this is as an additional tool in pre-operative planning.

Method: The pre-operative aided half optimum speech recognition threshold (HOSRT) and post-operative aided results were compared for each ear that had undergone either Bonebridge (BB) or Vibrant SoundBridge (VSB) surgery in our centre. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated.

Results: Twenty-three implanted ears' (in twenty-two patients) data was assessed. The mean difference between pre-operative (assessment) and post-op (implanted) HOSRT was 8.27 dB. In 16/22 ears (72%) the difference was Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.52, confirming moderate correlation.

Conclusion: These preliminary data assessment suggests that a BAHA softband is a potential tool to guide expectation of hearing augmentation outcomes with middle ear implant surgery. This data also suggests that results with the softband are not as good as final results with the implant, indicating patients may be counselled to expect equal, if not better, results with implant.

We propose that use of the BAHA softband has a ‘predictive’ role for pre-operative simulation of expected results, which is useful for patient selection, counselling and operative planning.