From Untreated Hearing Loss Diagnosing And Treating Single Sided Deafness (NAPSA)—A number of Americans with hearing loss can treat their condition, but don’t. That’s the finding of a recent study that estimated nearly nine million U.S. households are home to at least one person whois com- Many with Single Sided Deafness can betreated. pletely deaf in one ear (Single Sided Deafness, or SSD). Even more alarming, one-third of those people have not sought treatment. “These figures amplify the importance of deaf awareness by underscoring the grossly underreported prevalence of SSD,” said Dr. Jack Wazen, of the Lenox Hill/Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York. Wazen says thefirst step in get- ting people to seek treatment for SSD is helping them understand it. Here’s a breakdown: Treating SSD The FDA recently cleared a medical device to treat SSD. Called the BAHA system, this technology has three components: a small titanium fixture implanted in the skull underlocal anesthesia during a short outpatient surgical procedure; a small sound processor; and an external abutment to attach and remove the device as desired (see illustration). Together, the system transfers natural sound directly to the inner ear using direct bone conduction. The system is currently being worn by approximately 20,000 people worldwide with a 94 percent success rate. About SSD The BAHAsystem is an appro- priate treatment for patients with SSD that can be caused by, but not limited to, head trauma, viral infection, or acoustic neuroma tumorsurgery. For more information, visit www.entific.com or call 1-877BAHA-4-ME.,
