BAHA surgery

[grega]

Hi all .... I have a few questions re baha surgery, hoping for a bit of advice.

Will meet tomorrow w/ baha surgeon in prep for my baha surgery on tax-day.  When we met a few weeks ago, doc mentioned a possible skin graft from thigh as part of the abutment placement.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  Why would that be necessary?  Appreciate any feedback .... cause these skinny legs don't have much to spare.

Also, I googled baha skin graft, and saw mostly abstracts from medical journals.  One that caught my eye is a June '09 "Baha clinical review" from Cochlear.  It mentions implant survival (loosening)being better w/ a 4mm implant vs a 3mm implant.  Do all baha kits now come with a 4mm implant?  Has anyone experienced loosening of their implant.... and what was done?

Thanks!
Greg

[Pooter]

A BAHA-related skin graft is a new one by me..  Knowing what I do about BAHA surgeries (not from personal experience), I'm not even sure why one would be necessary..  I hope someone else shares with the group..  Let us know if you hear anything else about it...  I'm curious now..

Regards,
Brian

[Sam Rush]

They raise a skin flap for the BAHA surgery, not a skin graft, unless you have really thin skin at the BAHA site, a graft would not be needed.  Occasionally, (rarely), the BAHA abutement will come loose, but the Dr. will have a special tool to tighten it. In experienced hands, the surgery is simple and complication free. Make sure your Dr. is experienced!!!l

[JerseyGirl2]

 When we met a few weeks ago, doc mentioned a possible skin graft from thigh as part of the abutment placement.  Does anyone have any experience with this?

I didn't have a skin graft in conjunction with my BAHA implantation nor have I ever heard of anyone who did have one.

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[leapyrtwins]

Grega -

no skin graft here either.

I only know one person who had a skin graft and a BAHA.  He's a patient of Dr. Richard Weit's and he had the BAHA implant at the same time as his AN surgery.

He told me that for some reason the skin on his BAHA site failed to heal "correctly" so it was necessary to have a skin graft.  I think it may have had something to do with blood flow to that area; the scalp is very vascular.  I can't recall if the graft was taken from his upper arm or his upper thigh, but I do know that the graft solved the problem.

I'd ask your doc why he feels a skin graft is necessary    It's definitely not common, but then again, he's a doctor (and I'm not) and he may have a very good reason for it.

I've never had an issue with my abutment - infection, coming loose, etc. - but I think the key to the coming loose part is to wait 90 days for the abutment to calcify into the skull before you wear your device.  I know some who have worn their device earlier than 90 days and had issues.  You want to make sure that sucker is "cemented" into your head  

Jan

[grega]

Thanks all!

Perhaps the graft was for what you mention, Jan .... that failure to communicate .... err .... failure to heal!  Appologies to the late Strother.

I'll make sure I find out tomorrow.  One good statistic on that Cochlear clinical journal info I mentioned earlier .... upwards of 94% of their sample had no problems or reactions after baha surgery.  I'm looking to be in that group.

Keep  -ing!
Greg

[leapyrtwins]

Greg -

forgot to address your question about the height of the abutment.

I have no idea if mine is 3 mm or 4 mm, but I'm fairly sure it's the standard one.

I'm guessing that 4 mm is standard since I've heard a few BAHA candidates refer to a "shorter" abutment being available.

The main thing with a BAHA is that you don't want too much or too little space between the device and the skull.  If the device lies too close to, or too far away from, the skull the sound quality of the device is compromised.

Jan

[grega]

Hi ..... my doc said baha kit comes with both 3 and 4 mm long implants, and he usually uses the longer one.  What's that old cigarette commercial say .... "a silly millimeter longer" .... perhaps Cochlear should buy the copyright for that ....  

Re the skin graft, the cutting tool that creats the flap where the implant will be has been known to damage that flap.  Doc had it happen once.  So he preps for that possibility from the upper thigh.  No biggie, as long as it's above my speedo line .......  

JAJ .... (just a joke)

[leapyrtwins]

No biggie, as long as it's above my speedo line ....... 

LOL 

Actually it's refreshing to know your doc is prepared for situations like skin flap damage.  Nothing like a doc who's prepared in my book.

Jan