Patients with hearing loss in one ear may benefit from a hearing aid on that side. People who have complete hearing loss on one side (single-sided or unilateral deafness) will still be able to communicate in most situations. They will, however, have difficulty listening to conversation from the involved side, understanding speech in background noise, and telling where sounds are coming from.
There are a number of options for patients with this type of hearing loss. All of these options involve sending the sound to the other, good ear:
- Baha: This option is a surgical implant that delivers the sound directly to the bone behind the involved ear. Sound delivered to bone passes across the head to the other side.
- Phonak Spice CROS/BICROS: This option uses a set of hearing aids that are connected by a wireless link.
These options are compared in the table below. Feel free to ask your surgeon or audiologist to discuss these options with you.
| Surgery | (BP 100 or BP110/ Power BP3) | Phonak Spice CROS/BICROS |
|---|---|---|
| Implant lies under the skin | No | Non-surgical hearing aids |
| Hair follicles need to be removed | Yes | N/A |
| Healing time before use | ~3 months (adults); 6 months (peds) | N/A |
| Device | (BP 100 or BP110/ Power BP3) | Phonak Spice CROS/BICROS |
|---|---|---|
| Sound processing | Digital | Digital |
| Programs (settings for different listening environments) | 3 | Depends on model of receiving aid on better ear Range: (3, 4, or 5 manual programs) |
| Battery size and expected life | BP100 – size 13 (7 to 10 days) BP110 - 675 (7 to 10 days) |
3 days to 1 week (depends on the model) |
| Colors | Black, brown, silver, beige, charcoal, and white | Black, brown, silver, gray, beige, taupe, and blue |
| FM compatibility (allows user to connect to an external microphone) |
Yes | Yes (may need additional accessories) |
| Other Health Considerations | (BP 100 or BP110/ Power BP3) | Phonak Spice CROS/BICROS |
|---|---|---|
| Risk of infection | Need minimal daily care around the implant | N/A |
| Future MRIs | Ok without processor | N/A |
| Costs | (BP 100 or BP110/ Power BP3) | Phonak Spice CROS/BICROS |
|---|---|---|
| Approximate price | Up to $35,000 | Transmitter: $790 Receiver: Range ($1600, $2300, or $3300) |
| Warranty | 2-year repair and 1x L&D | 2-year repair and 1x L&D |
| Refund available? | Yes, processors can be exchanged within 90 days after fit date and returned 30 days after the fit date. Registration card must be sent in at fit date. | 30-day return privilege |
| Life of internal and external component | Internal: Lifetime External: 3 to 5 years |
Life: 5 to 10 years |