Evaluation of Flexible Conductive Hearing Aids

Conductive hearing loss (CHL) is the most common type of hearing loss among the pediatric population. CHL occurs when sound is not properly transmitted from the external ear to the cochlea, and congenital pathologies like microtia/anotia, atresia, and absent or malformed ossicles make hearing loss permanent.

Standard treatment for permanent conductive hearing loss includes osseointegrated implants, which require surgery and are invasive for pediatric patients. Conductive hearing loss can also be treated by non-surgical solutions such as wearable and behind-the-ear aids; however, they present challenges such as instability, stigmatization, and discomfort because of the device's design. Therefore, patients (ages 6 months to 80 years) with permanent (CHL) can benefit from a flexible, Band-Aid like hearing aid.