Bone-Anchored Hearing System
Also written as: BAHS — Bone-Anchored Hearing System
An implantable hearing device that transmits sound vibrations directly to the cochlea through the skull bone, bypassing the outer and middle ear, indicated for conductive, mixed, or unilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
Full Definition
A bone-anchored hearing system (BAHS) consists of a titanium implant osseointegrated into the skull bone, a percutaneous or transcutaneous abutment or magnet, and an externally worn sound processor. Sound captured by the processor is converted into vibrations transmitted through the bone directly to the cochlea, circumventing a dysfunctional outer or middle ear. It is indicated for patients with chronic otitis media, atresia, or single-sided deafness who cannot benefit adequately from conventional air-conduction hearing aids. Editors should use the device-neutral generic term 'bone-anchored hearing system' or 'bone-anchored hearing device' rather than proprietary brand names (e.g., BAHA®, Ponto™) unless the context specifically concerns that brand. The acronym BAHS is preferred over BAHA in non-proprietary generic discussion.
Usage
Usage note: Use the generic term 'bone-anchored hearing system' or acronym BAHS in clinical and research documents. Reserve 'BAHA' only when referring specifically to the Cochlear Ltd brand product.
In Context
- "Following failed conventional amplification trials, the patient was referred for a bone-anchored hearing system candidacy assessment." — Audiology referral letter
- "Authors must distinguish between the generic device category (BAHS) and the proprietary BAHA® brand when writing for non-commercial clinical publications." — Journal editorial style note