Author Topic: TransEar gets better each day  (Read 65173 times)

lacey7

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #210 on: August 04, 2008, 10:19:47 pm »
Can anyone tell me the difference between the Trans Ear and the BAHA.  I only had my AN surgery 5 weeks ago, so I have awhile before I decide.
I've mainly heard about BAHA here, b/c Jan talks about hers.  The other day I did read something about the Trans Ear for the first time.
Anyone tried both?
Just curious ;)
Lacey
Diagnosed 4/15/08.
AN - 1.4 cm.  Translab surgery 6-26-08.  SPF leak 7-5-08, and went back into surgery 7 -6-08.
SSD left side, after surgery
Dr. LaRoure - Providence Hospital, Southfield, MI.

leapyrtwins

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #211 on: August 04, 2008, 10:48:34 pm »
Lacey -

the major difference between the BAHA and the Transear is that the BAHA is an implant and the Transear is a hearing aid.

As you probably know, the BAHA requires a titanium implant that gets drilled into the skull and a hearing aid (processor) is attached to the implant.  There is nothing worn on or in the ear.  The processor is in effect "snapped" onto the skull.  Obviously the BAHA requires a surgery. 

The Transear is a hearing aid that fits deep into the ear canal, but from what I understand it's better than the conventional hearing aid.  I also know that the Transear is custom fitted to the patient which is probably why it works better than your "run of the mill" hearing aid.

BAHAs cost more than Transears because there is a surgery involved.  However, while most insurance companies can deny coverage of the Transear - on the grounds it is a hearing aid, which are generally excluded from insurance policies - the BAHA is technically an implant so insurance companies generally cover it.  While most insurance companies don't know what a BAHA is, if they cover Cochlears, they have to cover BAHAs (BAHAs are to unilateral deafness aka SSD - what Cochlears are to bilateral deafness).

Boppie and Katie Bonner both have Transears; Sam Rush, Ellis, Joef, Lori, Sabuck, and I all have BAHAs.  There are probably others in both categories, but these are the names that come to my mind right now.

There is someone on this forum who has tried both and I'm thinking it is Grampa; but I'm not positive.

Anyone else know?

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

leapyrtwins

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #212 on: August 04, 2008, 10:53:03 pm »
Lacey -

found the link myself http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=6613.0

The member is gramps, not grampa.

Guess I just answered my own question  :D

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

lacey7

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #213 on: August 04, 2008, 11:03:27 pm »
Thanks, Jan, for taking the time to answer my questions.
I know it takes alot of time to type in all that.....and you always seem to do it without complant.
And, you always go above and beyond to get in all the answers, and to explain it well.
Thank you so much for being here to help people.  You, and a 100 like you, seem like you are always there when we need someone.
God bless you.
Lacey
Diagnosed 4/15/08.
AN - 1.4 cm.  Translab surgery 6-26-08.  SPF leak 7-5-08, and went back into surgery 7 -6-08.
SSD left side, after surgery
Dr. LaRoure - Providence Hospital, Southfield, MI.

sgerrard

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #214 on: August 04, 2008, 11:05:55 pm »
Lacey, since I have neither, I can give you an impartial description.  ;)

Both systems capture sound on the deaf side of your head, and transmit it through your skull bone to the good ear on the other side.

The BAHA is attached to a titanium post which is mounted directly in the skull bone, above and behind the deaf ear. It transmits the sound through the post into the skull.

The TransEar is embedded in a custom mold that fits deep into the ear canal of the deaf ear. It transmits the sound through the hard surfaces of the canal into the skull.

A lot depends on whether you think snapping a device onto your head is cool or not. If you are like me, it does.  8)

Steve
8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

leapyrtwins

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #215 on: August 04, 2008, 11:09:58 pm »
Thanks for your kind words, Lacey  :)

I like to think that what goes around, comes around.

So many here have helped me, I think it's only right that I do what I can to help others.

I firmly believe that I was given an acoustic neuroma for a reason; contributing to this forum is just a part of that reason.

Jan



Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

marg

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #216 on: August 05, 2008, 03:37:13 pm »
Hi Lacey,
   I have an transEar and am very thankful for it.   It does help some...but I can't say it picks up more sound compared to a BAHA.  With TransEar the upside is that you don't have more surgery and something 'sticking out of your head' to connect to.   ... the down side is that you may have to send it  in for repair (which I just did yesterday).  I went with the TransEar because I felt it gave me more flexibility for when something newer and better came along ( hopefully also without surgery).  It is a very personal decison ...and I  would do research on both  ..to make the best decision for you.  What was said about cost was true for me...very little was covered with insurance.
marg
« Last Edit: August 10, 2008, 11:46:38 pm by marg »
Marg 
 4 mm  AN removed .. middle fossa   5/07 OHSU  Dr. Delashaw
AN scraped off facial nerve & balance nerve removed
 MRI  follow up showed AN gone ... thank you God
Some facial paralysis- . SSD weeks after surgery.  Trans-Ear Nov.2007 ... it really helps !

TransEarXpert

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #217 on: August 08, 2008, 09:03:35 am »
Dear Lacey:

I'd like to expand a bit on Jan's otherwise excellent (as usual!) response. While TransEar® looks like a hearing aid, at that point the similarities end. Hearing aids are acoustic devices, essentially amplifying sounds, which are then transmitted through the ear canal by an acoustic speaker ('receiver' in industry-speak). As we all know, amplified sounds don't exactly help if you have a dead ear!

TransEar was designed specifically for single-sided-deafness, and it is registered with the FDA for that purpose. Instead of an acoustic receiver, TransEar uses a bone vibrator that sits deep in the ear canal of the dead ear where there is only a very thin layer of skin over bone - no soft tissue to dampen the oscillations at all. It is similar to BAHA® in that sounds are picked up by the microphone, processed by the "processor," then passed to a bone vibrator which directly stimulates the skull. The vibrations are then carried by bone the very short distance to the good ear, where they are processed in a somewhat normal fashion. TransEar is non-surgical, it can be tried/trialed - usually with little or no obligation - like a traditional hearing aid. It is usually fit by audiologists, not surgeons, and once tested and qualified by their audiologist the purchaser can be wearing their TransEar in as little as two weeks. TransEar is usually not covered by insurance, although a few members have reported coverage of some kind. If you search this forum, you will find a large number of posts that mention retail cost, which we have no control over since we are the manufacturer.

Compared to BAHA, TransEar is a relatively new device, in production since late 2005. Like BAHA, we are continually improving the device, so each year it gets better, and we are able to implement new technology to improve gain, sound quality, and reliability. There is still a lot to learn about bone conduction, and we hope that there is a Ph.D. or Au.D researcher out there who has interest in it. I am not aware of any studies that compare BAHA and TransEar, but when you think about it is like comparing an apple and an orange. It is easy to go from a TransEar to a BAHA, but going the other direction probably doesn't happen much once the surgery has been done. This makes it tough on potential researchers.

As Marg has said, it is a very personal decision. The good news is that there are choices from two firms who are committed to their products. And that's a good thing!

I wish you well as you investigate your options. You've come to the right place, as members of this forum prove over and over again how well-informed they are, and how open they are to sharing their experiences.

Rick Gilbert
VP & GM of Ear Technology Corp/TransEar

leapyrtwins

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #218 on: August 16, 2008, 09:25:38 pm »
Rick -

thanks for this very informative response to Lacey's question; I learned a lot about the TransEar from reading it.

While I absolutely adore my BAHA, I totally agree with both you and Marg - just like AN treatment, BAHA vs TransEar is a very personal choice.

Thanks for reinforcing that.

Jan

Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Arasha

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Re: TransEar gets better each day
« Reply #219 on: October 14, 2008, 01:28:13 pm »
Hi Rick:

I need some help from you, just a question. I got my TransEar after 1 month of daydreams, when I got it, JUST IT DIDN'T WORK, According to your experience is it possible that this hearing aid can not work in someone?.  I read a lot of good experiences. Can you please read the topic "Is it possible that the hearing could come back" under HEARING AIDS, because I am posting there my experience.

Thanks in advance,
Gloria
Left side AN 2.5x1.8 removed on 10/17/2007 endosc. by Dr.Shahinian (retrosig) at SBI, LA,Ca. Facial phalsys (almost back). Balance issues. Tinnitus. MRI 8 months later showed AN was resected completelly.TransEar 11/2008. Clinical trial for SoundBite 11/2009. SoundBite user.I have the best family.