Baha Recipient Information

Bone conduction implant (Baha) operations are performed at The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, St Vincent’s Private – East Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital.  Each hospital will provide you with specific information regarding your stay but generally Baha surgeries are a day procedure.

What to bring

Personal items

• Hearing aid
• Special toy or blanket to cuddle (recommended for children)
• Button up pyjamas or something easy to get over your head
• Socks (large enough to put over intravenous (IV) drip if placed into the foot)
• Dressing gown or front fastening jacket
• Disposable nappies (recommended for children)
• Slippers Formula (if required)
• Toiletries
• Physical aids

Documents and information

• All medications
• Information regarding allergies or special dietary needs
• Health care card, Medicare card and/or Veterans’ Affairs card

Carer items (only when accompanying children)

• Comfortable clothes
• Toiletry needs
• Snacks and drinks
• Money for meals and parking
• Book or magazine

Fasting

All patients will need to fast for a number of hours before their operation. You will be provided with instructions from the hospital to which you will be admitted.

If you get sick before your operation

If you become sick, have a cold or flu, get admitted to another hospital, or choose not to go ahead with your operation, please contact the relevant hospital’s admission department.

The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital
Surgical Bookings Unit
Phone:  (03) 9929 8553

St Vincent’s Private
Admissions
Phone:  (03) 9928 6555

Royal Children’s Hospital
Admissions
Phone:  (03) 9345 6179

Transport or social work support

If you require transport assistance to attend your operation, or believe you may require additional support when your return home, please contact (03) 9929 8234.  Press 1 for an interpreter, 2 for transport and accommodation officer or 3 to speak with a social worker.

Who to contact if you have a concern

For any concerns, please contact:

Cochlear Implant Clinic
6th Floor, Smorgon Family Wing
32 Gisborne Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002
Phone: (03) 9929 8624

For medical concerns, please contact:

Eye and Ear Emergency Department
Ground Floor, Smorgon Family Wing
32 Gisborne Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002
Phone: (03) 9929 8333

 

The following points of advice for Baha device recipients have been produced to assist with post-operative care.

Things to consider immediately following surgery

• Keep the area dry at all times while the wound is healing – avoid washing hair, wear a shower cap
• Get plenty of rest
• Continue taking medications as ordered
• Keep the incision site clean, your doctor will instruct you on how to do this.
• Avoid contact sports in the weeks following your surgery
• Take care when using hats, helmets or head gear. Seek medical advice if this is required for your job.
• Seek medical advice if constipated
• Contact the hospital if worried

Things to avoid immediately following surgery

• Sudden head movements
• Over exerting yourself
• Contact sports
• Swimming
• Hats, helmets and head gear should be avoided in the weeks following surgery

Please seeks medical advice from your surgeon as to when the above activities are no longer a risk.

Symptoms to look out for

If you (or your child) experience any of the following symptoms, contact the Cochlear Implant Clinic on (03) 9929 8624. If out of hours, please contact the Eye and Ear Hospital Emergency department on (03) 9929 8333, regardless of where the surgery took place. 

• Soreness around the wound or ear
• Swelling or redness around the wound
• Liquid discharge from the wound
• Movement of the abutment (Baha connect recipients)

Wound healing

Immediately following the operation it is necessary to maintain a firm bandage around the wound.  Once this bandage has been removed it is important to keep the area dry.  For Baha Connect patients there will be a healing cap placed on the abutment that will remain in place until your post-op check up with your doctor.  For Baha Attract recipients the incision will be covered with steri-strips and a band aid, which will remain in place until your post-op check up with your doctor.  It will then be possible to wash your hair as usual while taking particular care to dab when drying the area and avoid rubbing.

Infection

Symptoms to look out for:

• Soreness around the wound
• Swelling or redness around the wound
• Liquid discharge coming from the wound
• Degradation of the skin around the wound

Care of the abutment (Baha Connect recipients)

In the first weeks following surgery:  once the dressing has been removed take care when washing your hair and use alcohol-free abutment cleaning wipes to clean around the abutment area.

Maintenance 4-6 weeks post-op onwards:  clean around the abutment area daily with mild soap and warm water.  Use an alcohol-free wipe around the base of the abutment.  On a weekly basis, check the inside of the abutment for debris and the base of the abutment for any hair caught around it.  If present, these should be removed.

When not wearing the processor, protect the abutment by covering it with the abutment cover provided in your kit.

Care of the skin over the internal magnet (Baha Attract recipients)

On the Baha Attract, the magnet strength should be adjusted in order to avoid damage to the skin, while maintaining proper contact.  The magnet is too strong if it causes pain or discomfort, or if it leaves redness or an impression on the skin when removed.  Good magnet strength is when it is just tight enough to hold the processor in place when the wearer shakes their head, but no tighter.

Head injury

Care should be taken to avoid head injury. This should include avoiding contact sports in the weeks following surgery.

MRI safety

Baha Connect recipients can safely undergo MRI scans up to 3T.
Baha Attract recipients may have an MRI scan of up to 1.5T strength.

Before any scan is performed, technicians should contact Cochlear Ltd clinical support (ph: 1800 800 989) for instruction on how to safely conduct the MRI scan.

Programming your Baha

Baha recipients will have a series of appointments following their surgery to program the Baha device to their hearing level.

Switch-on appointment – approximately 4-6 weeks after surgery.
In this appointment your Baha will be programmed to your hearing loss.  The aim of this appointment is to get you hearing at a comfortable level and to teach you how to use and maintain your Baha.

Follow-up appointment – 2 weeks following the switch-on appointment.
This appointment is to reassess the fitting of your Baha and to answer any questions that you may have.

Additional follow-up appointment – 1 month after surgery (if necessary).
Your clinician will decide whether this additional appointment is required.

3 month evaluation – 3 months after surgery.
In this appointment speech perception testing will be done to assess the benefit of the Baha.  Your clinician will reassess your fitting if required.

On-going reviews – monthly for children, every 1-2 years for adults

Travelling with your Baha

Remember to bring spare batteries, cleaning equipment and your patient identification card when travelling.  A drying kit is also advised if you are travelling to a humid climate.  Sound processors are safe to go through security scanners and metal detectors, however if questioned, patients may provide their patient identification card for further information.

Telephone

Baha recipients are able to use the phone through a number of methods:

Acoustic listening:  When using a conventional telephone, hold the receiver close to the sound processor microphones.  Do not press the phone against the sound processor as this may cause feedback.

Wireless streaming:  The Baha 5 series processors have wireless compatibility with iPhone and Android devices (see below for software requirements).  By downloading the Baha 5 Smart Sound app, you can stream phone calls directly to your Baha 5 sound processor.

Cochlear Wireless Phone Clip:  Baha 4 and Baha 5 recipients are able to use the Cochlear Wireless Phone Clip to make hands-free calls.  This device streams sound directly from your smart phone to the Baha sound processor.

Smart-phone Apps

There are three Apps available for the Baha 5 sound processors:

Baha 5 Smart App
This app allows you to adjust the following directly from your iPhone or Android device:

• Change volume, treble or bass
• Change or create programs
• Link programs to a specific location
• Stream music directly to the Baha
• Locate lost sound processors
• Access support information
• Check sound processor status and view usage

Please check the compatibility of the Baha 5 Smart App with your phone by visiting Cochlear Ltd

Baha Control App
This app allows control of your Baha device through a Cochlear Phone Clip.  This app is good for recipients who have an iPhone or Android smartphone and would like to use their phone as a remote control to adjust volume on the Baha sound processor and its accessories.

Baha Support App
This app allows you to learn more about your Baha with tutorials, FAQs and fact sheets.  It contains information about the Baha 5, 4, BP110 Power and BP100 sound processors.

How to pair your Baha to your iPhone or Android device

iPhone:

1. Turn off Baha 5
2. Go to Settings à General à Accessibility
3. Turn on Baha 5 – this will activate a 120 second window for discovery by your iPhone.  If you have bilateral Baha devices, turn both on simultaneously.
4. On your iPhone select ‘Hearing aids’, turn on Bluetooth.  Your phone will start searching for the Baha sound processor(s).
5. Select the name of the sound processor once it appears on your iPhone.  If you are pairing bilateral sound processors one name will appear with ‘R+L’
6. Accept the pairing request – wait for pairing confirmation to be heard before exiting the pairing screen.  You will hear 6 beeps followed by a ripple tone.  This should take 120 seconds maximum.
7. Once paired, download your Baha 5 Smart App to use

Android

1. Turn off Baha 5, enable Bluetooth on your smartphone
2. Open the Baha 5 Smart App, read the introductory slides and terms of use.
3. Turn on Baha 5 – this will activate a 120 second window for discovery by your Android phone.  If you have bilateral Baha devices turn both on simultaneously.
4. In the Baha 5 Smart App tap ‘Pair Device’.  Your phone will start searching for the Baha sound processor.
5. Tap the name of your sound processor, and then select ‘Pair’.  The app will now pair and connect to your sound processor.

Further information and instructions can be found at the Cochlear Ltd website: www.cochlear.com.au

Accessories

More accessories are available from Cochlear Ltd in the Cochleartm Wireless Accessories range.  See over the page and contact the Cochlear Care Centre (phone: 1800 069 365) for more information or visit the website: www.cochlear.com.au.

 

General Care

Your Baha sound processor is not waterproof.  Care must be taken to ensure it is kept dry.  Dust and moisture can affect the sound quality of the sound processor.  Refer to your Cochleartm user manual or www.cochlear.com.au for guidance on how to care and maintain, store and clean the sound processor.  Dry Aid kits may be used in areas of high humidity.

Cleaning

Clean the external casing of your sound processor regularly. If using hair products make sure the sound processor is protected to avoid damage to the microphones or casing.

Batteries

Baha 5 and Baha 5 Power sound processors use hearing aid batteries.  The duration of the battery life will depend on the amount of use and power requirements of the sound processor.

Baha 5 Super Power sound processors use rechargeable batteries.  These will be supplied in the start-up kit.

Replacement and spare parts

Spare parts can be obtained from Cochlear Ltd or Australian Hearing in some circumstances.  Before contacting these sources, please ensure you know the Baha type, sound processor model, colour and name of the part you require.  Replacements or upgrades of speech processors can be obtained at your own cost from Cochlear Ltd, these are not covered by Australian Hearing.

Australian Hearing will provide replacement parts for eligible members if the Baha was arranged through Australian Hearing.  If the Baha was not arranged through Australian Hearing, you will need to contact them to discuss you circumstances and eligibility for their services.

Australian Hearing:
Phone: 1800 131 339
NRS: TTY- 1800 555 677, speak and listen – 1800 131 339 and ask for the phone number listed above
Fax: (02) 9419 8397
Web form: https://www.hearing.com.au/ci-client-order-form/

Cochlear Ltd Customer Service:
Phone: 1800 620 929
Website: www.cochlear.com.au click on ‘store’
Email: customerservice@cochlear.com
NRS (fax and tty): (02) 8002 2800
Mail: PO Box 629, Lane Cove 2066, NSW

Physical activity

Baha recipients are advised to use the safety line during physical activity to ensure the sound processor is not lost.  Alternatively the sound processor may be taken off for the duration of the physical activity.  The processor should also be dried following physical activity to remove any moisture.

How is listening different from hearing?

Hearing is the sensation of perceiving or detecting sound. You may hear something but you may not pay attention to it.  When we listen to a sound we are making a conscious effort to be aware of what our ears are picking up; we are doing much more than just detecting that sound. Listening involves discriminating between different sounds, identifying what a sound may be, or trying to understand what a sound (like speech) may mean.

Both normally hearing and hearing impaired people use hearing or listening tactics naturally every day.  For hearing impaired people these tactics play a more significant part of their conversations as they often have to rely on skills other than their hearing to communicate effectively.

What are hearing tactics?

Hearing tactics are ways of enhancing communication situations to enable the listener to hear and see the speakers more clearly.

1. Position: Some people may rely heavily on watching lip movements, gestures and facial expressions as well as their hearing. So it is important that they position themselves so that they improve their chances of hearing and seeing the speaker.  Keeping away from excessive background noise can also improve the chance of understanding the speaker.  Using these tactics may involve planning ahead. For example:

• If going to see a film or a play, book early to get seats near the front.
• Have the light source shining onto the speaker’s face.
• At a restaurant, try to book a table away from noisy parties or bands and in a fairly well-lit part of the room.
• Ask people not to cover their faces with their hands while they are speaking.
• Avoid having important conversations in rooms where a television or radio is turned is loud.
• When in a group, sit or stand so that everyone’s face is in view.

2.  Conversations: Conversational tactics are ways of controlling or clarifying the message that is being received.

• Occasionally introduce the topic of conversation as this will make it easier to anticipate what others will say.
• If there is a change of topic in the conversation, ask someone what the new topic is if you are unsure.
• Ask questions that have a limited number of possible answers such as yes/no questions.

3.   Clarification: Continually saying “Pardon” or “What was that?” becomes tedious and will not always help to clarify the information that is missed.  A variety of tactics may have to be tried before the whole message is understood. For example:

• Repeat back to the speaker what you did hear and let them fill in the gaps.
• Ask the speaker to say the message or sentence another way.
• Ask the speaker to speak more loudly (or softly) or more clearly.
• Wait a short while before you ask for repetitions, as the message may make more sense once you have had time to think it over.
• Be sure to check any important information by repeating it back to the speaker.

4.   Attitude: Good hearing tactics are only successful if you have a positive attitude.

• Remember that no-one can hear everything all the time.
• Don’t worry if you miss out on individual words. Concentrate on those words you do hear and work out the gist of the conversation from them if you can.
• Don’t feel discouraged or embarrassed when you make mistakes.
• Don’t be ashamed of having a hearing loss.  Explain the limitations of the hearing impairment and how others can help make the communication process easier for you and themselves.  People should be more understanding if they know the reason for your requests.

What are listening tactics?

Listening tactics are ways in which we can improve our ability to understand what is being said even though we may not be able to hear every word that is spoken. For example:

• Be motivated to listen, otherwise your attention may wander.
• Decide on you purpose for listening.  For example, do you only need to know the general theme of the conversation or do you need to know the details?  This way, you can decide on what you want to listen to.
• Anticipate the speaker’s purpose as this can clue you in to the topic of the conversation.
• Try to analyse what is being said as you go along, as this can help clarify what was said earlier.
• Try not to be distracted from the speaker.

Effective use of hearing and listening tactics requires taking control of communication situations. Think about being:

1. Self-responsible

• Realise the need for taking positive action to help yourself.
• It is up to you to practice.
• Accept that your hearing loss may create difficulties following conversations at times and try not to blame others.

2. Assertive

• Feel comfortable explaining one’s own hearing loss and its consequences.
• Confidently take the initiative to alter situations without offending others.
• Enlist co-operation of others by justifying any request you make of them.

3. Realistic

• Don’t expect to understand everything all of the time.
• Realise your limitations resulting from the hearing loss.

4. Good humoured

• Try to laugh at the mistakes you make, rather than treating them as failures, as this may also make others feel more comfortable.

No sound is coming from my processor:

• Put in new batteries
• Make sure the sound processor is turned is on
• Turn up the volume control

Feedback (whistling) is coming from my processor:

• Something may be touching your processor such as a hat or glasses
• Battery door may not be closed properly
• Your sound processor may need retuning

Sound is distorted or intermittent:

• Volume may be up too high- try decreasing the volume
• Battery may need to be replaced
• The abutment may be loose- contact the Cochlear Implant Clinic
• Something may be blocking the microphones- clean the microphones

Sound processor is not working:

• Make sure the sound processor is turned on
• Battery door may not be closed properly
• Battery may need to be replaced
• Battery may be inserted upside down. Insert the battery flat side up.

If the problem persists please contact the Cochlear Care Centre on: 1800 069 365 for further advice.