Bone-anchored hearing aid abutment skin overgrowth reduction with clobetasol
Received 22 May 2008; received in revised form 18 June 2008; accepted 13 August 2008.
Objectives
The bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) osseointegrated cochlear stimulator can treat hearing loss in a variety of clinical situations. Occasionally skin/scar overgrowth may cover the abutment. This overgrowth interferes with affixing the BAHA to the abutment. Surgical scar revision/excision has been used to treat this problem. Clobetasol (0.05%), a steroid gel, can reduce skin overgrowth. Experience with skin overgrowth and the efficacy of clobetasol to treat this problem was reviewed.
Subjects and Methods
The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent BAHA abutment implantation from January 2003 through December 2006.
Results
Eighty-eight patients (2 patients received bilateral BAHAs) were reviewed. Twenty (22%) of 90 sites developed overgrowth. Thirteen of 20 sites were treated with clobetasol. The overgrowth resolved in 11 (85%) of 13 sites after treatment. Patients with incomplete skin graft survival were significantly more likely to develop skin overgrowth (P = 0.0017).
Conclusion
Clobetasol is an effective treatment for abutment skin/scar overgrowth. Clobetasol allows patients to resume BAHA use and obviates the need for scar revision.
aDepartment of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
bDivision of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Corresponding author: Michael Falcone, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 7209 Medical Center East, South Tower, 1215 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37221
ABSTRACT