Questions to ask Dr. about BAHA

[Sefra22]

Now that I have an appointment, I was just wondering what questions should I ask while I'm there. I always think of good ones AFTER I get home.
Thanks,
Lisa

[leapyrtwins]

Some suggestions:

Which processor would be best for me?  The Divino or the Intenso?

How long after surgery can I wear my processor?  My doc said 3 months, some say less.

Do you recommend local or general anesthesia for the implant surgery?  I had local, and 95% of my doc's patients have local, but general was an option - and local isn't for everyone.

How long do you think it will take my insurance company to approve the surgery and the processor?  My doc said in his experience it usually takes 4-6 weeks to get insurance approval, but I'd ask your doc what his experience is.  Note - most docs won't perform the surgery unless you have insurance approval or pay at the time of service.

How many BAHA surgeries have you performed?  My doc had done over 200 when he performed mine and that was 10 months ago; I'm sure he's done many more since then.

How satisfied are your BAHA patients with their BAHAs?

Does your office offer a "loaner" if my processor has to be sent out for repairs?

Depending on how long ago your surgery was, you should also ask your doc if he feels your head is healed "enough" or if you need to wait a while before the implant surgery.

Jan

[Sefra22]

Thanks Jan,
Those are great questions.

I had GK,so I don't have to consider the healing issue, although I've got a nice "divet" where one of the back pins were inserted.

Did you have any pain after your implant surgery? My biggest concern is how to keep the area clean. Is it true that the site never "fully" heals?

Thanks,
Lisa

[lori67]

Lisa,

I'm with Jan - all good questions.  Definitely the first one I'd ask:  "You have done this before, right?".

I can't speak for everyone, but my implant site healed quite well.  I was able to wash my hair the night of the surgery - however, I chose to take some drugs and go to bed!    I was a little loopy from the general anesthesia, but I wasn't in pain.  Some people are told not to wash their hair for a few days or a few weeks.  I was fortunate that my doctor doesn't have a problem with it, but they all seem to have their own special little way of handling it, so I'm sure yours will give you good instructions. 

While mine was in the healing stage, I used bacitracin - usually only at night though because it's pretty gooey.  On occasion, I have a little "flare-up", for lack of a better description.  It just gets a little puffy around the abuttment and I have some steroid cream to put on it and it's usually good within a day.  It seems to happen whenever I let myself get dehydrated - when I'm not feeling well or when I'm traveling by plane.  It's a good reminder for me to drink more water.   

It's not hard to keep clean and doesn't require a lot of maintenance.  After a while it just becomes second nature to wash your abuttment in the shower!

Hope your appointment goes well!
Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Lisa -

I didn't have any "pain" so to speak with my BAHA implant surgery.  I had local anesthesia and would have walked out of the OR if they would have let me.

I did have a little discomfort the day after the surgery - basically a headache - and took Tylenol; that was it.

Like Lori, my BAHA site healed without a problem, so I don't know who told you the site never "fully" heals.  I used bacitracin and neosporin on my site, which my doctor recommended, until it healed.  I was able to shampoo 24 hours after surgery, but had to hold a cup over the area where my bandage was so it didn't get wet.

My surgery was 10 months ago and I've never had a flare-up. 

As Lori also said, the abutment is very easy to keep clean; washing it in the shower is just part of my daily routine.

Jan