135 5 General Discussion For this reason, the adhesive ADHEAR system application may become more an important BC solution that can be easily utilised at an earlier age. Further study into this is advised as is the distinction between bilateral and unilateral losses. The initial study does not make distinction between congenital or acquired losses when analysing the impact of the ADHEAR system. However, presented below is the mean PTA4 for those children in all audiological conditions when sub-divided into congenital verses acquire aetiologies. Congenital HL Acquired HL Unaided 59 48 Softband 32 32 ADHEAR V1 27 26 ADHEAR V2 27 24 Although the baseline mean PTA4 is 11 dB HL lower in the congenital hearing loss group, there is no difference between either group in the aided situations. In Chapter 4.2 a clinical study is presented that assessed the long-term compliance and usability of the non-implantable, adhesive ADHEAR bone conduction hearing aid system in children. A retrospective study of all children aged 5 years and above fitted with the adhesive boneconduction hearing aid between 2015 and 2019 in BWCH was performed. In total 82 children in a consecutive cohort (40 female, 42 male) aged 5-16 years were provided with 89 adhesive ADHEAR hearing systems. 22 (26%) children had bilateral hearing losses although only 7 children (8.5%) were fitted with bilateral hearing systems. 53 (64%) of the children have congenital hearing loss, 29 (36%) had acquired. The mean age of the study cohort was 11 years. A total of 10 children became non ADHEAR users. 5 children (6.1%) no longer used any hearing aids system and the remaining 5 (6.1%) used an alternative system including spectacle aid (n=2) and Ponto Bone anchored implant system (n=3). This paper indicated that the ADHEAR system was a viable hearing device alternative and was well tolerated and accepted in the paediatric patient group. It showed that (87.8%) of those 82 children continue to use the ADHEAR device on a regular daily basis thus suggesting a high level of patient satisfaction.
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