Kathleen C. lost hearing in her left ear more than 50 years ago, following a bout with measles. It caused issues with the function of her hearing nerve and the mechanics of her hearing, which she dealt with throughout her life.
In August, 2021, she developed a recurrence of a condition called Cholesteatoma caused by skin growing inside her inner ear. It had actually dissolved part of her middle ear and inner ear. CNC Hearing and Balance Center Neurotologist Moises Arriaga surgically removed the skin growths and because Kathleen had a healthy hearing nerve on the right side, he identified her as a candidate for the Baha implantable hearing device.
Watch as CNC Hearing and Balance Center Audiologist Brittany Thomas activated the hearing device.
In the video below, Dr. Moises Arriaga explains the BAHA device.
Video transcript:
The Baha is a special type of hearing device that can help certain forms of mechanical hearing loss and even certain forms of nerve hearing loss if the ear on one side does not allow the sound vibrations to reach the hearing nerve. The Baha will actually vibrate the bone of the skull and allow the sounds to reach the hearing nerve even if the eardrum and hearing bones aren’t working properly.
Similarly, if the nerve of hearing is dead placing a Baha will allow someone to whisper on the deaf side and the good hearing nerve will actually pick up the sounds so you’re actually able to hear on your deaf side by actually using the nerve from the opposite side
