A ten-year review of soft tissue reactions around percutaneous titanium implants for auricular prosthesis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Soft tissue reactions around abutments are the most common complications of percutaneous osseointegrated implants. The main objective of this study was to review our series of osseointegrated implants, evaluate the degree of adverse skin reactions around the auricular abutments, and compare with skin reactions in the pediatric bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) population. The reason for comparing these two groups was the difference in abutment shape and position in skin with different characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case analysis of 131 patient notes. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 131 pediatric and adult patients who underwent an osseointegrated auricular prosthesis over a 10-year period (1997-2007). RESULTS: There were 95 adults and 36 children who had been implanted and fitted with an auricular prosthesis during the 10-year study period. All patients were followed up postoperatively for a 2-year minimum up to a 14-year maximum follow-up. Thirteen (13/36, 36%) children and seven adults (7/95, 7%) had a skin reaction around the ear prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The literature review has supported our study results and has shown that children have higher skin reactions in both BAHA and auricular prostheses than adults. Adverse skin reactions in the pediatric auricular group were significantly lower that the pediatric BAHA group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4