Prepare
Once the Bone Conduction Implant program has received a referral for your child, who is at least 5 years old, the team coordinator will contact you and send you an information package. If you are interested, a family meeting with the team coordinator will be arranged.
At the family meeting, which may be held over Zoom, you will be provided with information about bone conduction implants. The coordinator will also explain the assessment process and answer any questions you may have. We encourage families to include their child in this information session.
Following this, if you wish to proceed, pre-operative testing appointments will be arranged at your local community audiology clinic and/or BC Children’s hospital. You will be required to trial a non implantable bone conduction device prior to any pre-operative testing. This will be arranged in conjunction with your community audiology clinic.
The Candidacy Assessment includes:
- Audiology review to measure the child’s hearing levels, and evaluate the benefit of the non-implantable bone conduction hearing device.
- Medical review to ensure that the child does not have any medical conditions that might prevent the use of an implant.
- Questionnaires completed by the child, parents, and educator to assess benefit with the non-implantable device.
- A meeting with another family whose child has a bone conduction implant can be arranged
- PLEASE BRING YOUR EQUIPMENT TO ALL APPOINTMENTS
Once the candidacy evaluation has occurred, and your family & child have decided to proceed with a bone conduction implant, your child will be put on the surgical list.
The surgery is done in the operating room at BC Children’s Hospital under general anesthetic. Dr. Felton is the pediatric bone conduction implant surgeon.
An incision (cut) is made behind your child’s ear. This allows for the surgeon to insert the implant. A small patch of hair may need to be shaved to make the cut.
The surgery usually takes about 1-2 hours. Children are typically discharged from the hospital after the surgery. The family will need to stay in the lower mainland for the night following the surgery. Air travel is typically safe one day after the surgery.
No active sports are recommended for 4 weeks after surgery.
Do not wash your child’s hair for 7 days following the surgery. After that, take care when cleaning or brushing hair near the incision until it has fully healed.
If you have any questions or concerns following the surgery or healing process, please contact the ENT clinic nurse.
