B’luru toddler's hearing restored through complex surgery; regains the ability to hear

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: One-year-old Chander (name changed) from Bengaluru recently underwent a complex cochlear implant surgery at SPARSH Hospital, restoring his ability to hear. Cochlear implants work by bypassing damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulating the auditory nerve.

These implants generate signals that travel through the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound. Chander's parents, concerned about his lack of response to loud noises, brought him to the hospital. A thorough evaluation revealed bilateral profound hearing loss due to genetic factors.

Despite his young age, doctors decided that a cochlear implant surgery was necessary to bypass the malfunctioning part of his cochlea, enabling him to perceive sound. Initial tests showed that while Chander’s overall anatomy was normal, a genetic condition was affecting the cells in his cochlea, preventing him from perceiving hearing signals.

After unsuccessful attempts with a hearing aid, doctors opted for cochlear implant surgery. This small electronic device, comprising internal and external components, was surgically placed in Chander’s cochlea (a fluid-filled, spiral-shaped cavity found in the inner ear).

The surgery was intricate, particularly given Chander's young age. The external device, which resembles a hearing aid, is operated by the wearer. The internal device involves a small 5 cm incision behind the ear to create a pocket in the skull for implant placement.

Electrodes were carefully inserted into the ear through a bone channel, avoiding the facial nerve. Dr Basharat Nadeem, Consultant Otologist and Cochlear Implant Surgeon at SPARSH Hospital Infantry Road, Bengaluru, commented on the surgery saying, “This procedure may seem simple, but it requires precision. The implant constitutes only 30 to 35 per cent of the process; more emphasis should be placed on postimplant speech therapy. The activation of the device, which typically occurs three to four weeks postsurgery, marks the beginning of the child's auditory journey. We are happy that post-surgery, Chander had no complications and returned to normal life.”