2021 年 156 巻 p. 56-60
Cartilage conduction (CC) was reported in 2004 as a third pathway for sound transmission, besides air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC). As compared to BC, CC does not require strong and sustained attachment on the skin; cartilage is much lighter than the skull bone, so that less vibrational power is needed to trigger CC. Therefore, CC hearing aids are small and lightweight, and may be of particular benefit for patients with external ear disorders. To date, 25 patients have received a trial of CC hearing aids at our hospital. Herein, we report 3 cases who opted to purchase CC hearing aids after the trial. Case 1 was 16-year-old female patient with bilateral bony aural atresia. She had used BC hearing aids since the age of 6 months. Her parents worried about skull bone deformation arising from her wearing of BC hearing aids. After the trial, she was satisfied with the light-weight characteristic and fitting comfort of CC hearing aids. Case 2 was a 10-year-old girl with right bony aural atresia. She had not used any hearing aids until this trial. After the trial, she could identify the location of passing cars on the way to school by binaural. Case 3 was a 76-year-old female. She had suffered from conductive hearing loss in the right ear ever since she underwent surgery for carcinoma of the right external auditory canal. After the trial, she found it easy to understand conversations in her business life. Thus, not only patients with congenital bilateral external ear atresia, but also those with unilateral atresia or other conductive hearing loss can benefit greatly from CC hearing aids.