Bone-conduction hearing devices provide good hearing outcomes for conductive/mixed hearing losses. Complications post-insertion can lead to additional procedures. Identifying factors that may increase likelihood of developing complications can mitigate risk and inform patients.

A retrospective cohort analysis of 166 adults receiving bone-anchored hearing aid connect operations from 2016–2021 was performed assessing complication rate and contributing factors causing revision procedures.

Twenty-nine per cent of patients had post-operative complications. In total, 17.5 per cent needed additional procedures. Skin overgrowth/infection, granulation and traumatic extrusion were most common reasons. No difference was found in complication rate between different surgical techniques, surgeon grade or general versus local anaesthetic. More complications were observed in decreasing age, male gender and severity of skin reaction.

Revision procedure and complication rates are similar to those reported in published literature. Patient characteristics are important in identifying those likely to develop complications. Non-patient factors did not seem to affect complication rate.

In decision making regarding the management of vestibular schwannomas, alongside clinical outcomes, an understanding of patient reported health-related quality of life measures is key. Therefore, the aim of this research is to compare health-related quality of life in vestibular schwannoma patients treated with active observation, stereotactic radiotherapy and microsurgical excision.

A cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with unilateral sporadic vestibular schwannomas between 1995 and 2015 at a specialist tertiary centre was conducted. Patients completed the Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life questionnaire and handicap inventories for dizziness, hearing and tinnitus.

Of 234 patients, 136 responded (58.1 per cent). Management modality was: 86 observation, 23 stereotactic radiotherapy and 25 microsurgery. Females reported significantly worse dizziness; males reported significantly worse physical disability. Patients less than 65 years old reported significantly worse tinnitus and pain scores. Overall, quality of life was higher in the observation group.

Conservative management, where appropriate, is favourable with higher quality-of-life outcomes in this cohort. This must be weighed against the risks of a growing tumour.