Bone Conduction and Middle Ear Implants
Hearing implants for adults and children when conventional hearing aids are not suitable
Who are these implants for?
Conductive or mixed hearing loss
Chronic or discharging ears, or ears that have had surgery and cannot wear a hearing aid
Absent or narrow ear canals (atresia) and microtia
Single-sided deafness
People who cannot tolerate hearing aids, for example due to skin allergy or repeated infection
Types of implant
Percutaneous bone conduction (e.g. Baha Connect, Ponto) – a small post through the skin
Active transcutaneous bone conduction (e.g. Osia 300, BONEBRIDGE) – the implant sits under intact skin with no post through the skin; these have largely replaced older passive magnetic devices
Active middle ear implants (e.g. Vibrant Soundbridge) – a tiny transducer drives the middle ear bones directly
Non-surgical devices on a softband or adhesive – for young children and for a trial before surgery
A trial with a non-surgical device lets you hear the likely benefit before deciding on surgery.
Surgery and switch-on
Surgery is usually day surgery and takes between under an hour and about two hours depending on the device. The sound processor is typically switched on 2–6 weeks later once the wound has healed.
Results
Bone conduction implants commonly improve hearing levels by 25–30 dB or more compared with no device, with better understanding of speech, including in background noise. Active middle ear implants provide lasting benefit in long-term studies. Skin problems are more common with devices that pass through the skin, and less common with devices under intact skin.
Expertise
Dr Reddy completed fellowship training in complex otology and auditory implants at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, and is lead author of the Middle Ear Implants chapter in Scott-Brown’s Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (9th edition), a standard ENT reference text.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have an MRI with an implant? Most modern devices are MRI-conditional, but rules differ between devices. Always tell the radiology team which implant you have.
Is this the same as a cochlear implant? No. Cochlear implants are for severe to profound inner ear hearing loss. These implants suit conductive and mixed losses and single-sided deafness. See the cochlear implants page.
Can children have these implants? Yes. Young children usually start with a softband device, and implants are considered as they grow.
Patient information sheet
Download the Hearing implants information sheet (PDF).
Please note: the sheet is a general summary of the published medical literature. The figures describe groups of patients and are not specific to your condition – Dr Reddy will discuss your own situation and options with you.
Where Dr Reddy sees patients
Dr Reddy sees adults and children at Macarthur ENT in Gregory Hills and Campbelltown, and at My-ENT in the Sydney CBD (Macquarie Street). He operates at Sydney Children’s, Prince of Wales and Liverpool hospitals (public) and Camden Surgical, Sydney Southwest Private, Prince of Wales Private and St Luke’s hospitals (private).
Referral
GPs, paediatricians and other specialists can refer via HealthLink (Macarthur ENT EDI: macarent; My-ENT EDI: myentdr), email referrals@drrithvikreddy.com or use the online referral form. A current referral from a GP or specialist is needed for a Medicare rebate.
Dr Rithvik Reddy
Expert ENT services for adults and children.
Contact for appointments
Referring doctors can email referrals@drrithvikreddy.com to make appointment
Macarthur ENT
Shop 2101, Level 2, 31A Lasso Rd, Gregory Hills NSW 2557
Suite 102, Building B, Level 1, 4 Hyde Parade, Campbelltown NSW 2560
Phone (02) 4625 1682 · Fax (02) 4625 1032
Mon–Fri 8am–5pm
My-ENT, Sydney CBD
Suite 303, Level 3, BMA House, 135 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9247 1762 · Fax (02) 9247 2141
Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm
© 2026 Dr Rithvik Reddy. All rights reserved.
