A bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) is being considered for a child with bilateral microtia and atresia. The recommended minimum age for osseointegrated implant placement in children and the minimum skull thickness required for direct bone anchoring are respectively:

• A 5 years; 3 mm ✓
• B 3 years; 2 mm
• C 5 years; 4 mm
• D 3 years; 4 mm

Explanation

The recommended minimum age for osseointegrated BAHA placement is 5 years, by which time the skull has sufficient thickness and density for reliable osseointegration. A minimum skull thickness of 3 mm is required to achieve adequate bone-implant contact for the titanium fixture. In younger children or those with insufficient bone thickness, a soft-band BAHA is used until these criteria are met. This is a clinically important guideline tested in NEET PG.

Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.