Hyderabad, Mar 17 (TNT): KIMS Hospitals, Secunderabad, has successfully performed India’s first ‘smart cochlear implant’ surgery on a three-year-old child with severe hearing loss, marking a significant advancement in hearing healthcare, doctors said on Tuesday.
The child, who had over 70 per cent hearing loss, underwent the procedure as conventional hearing aids failed to provide adequate benefit, making cochlear implantation the recommended option.
Unlike traditional implants, the newly introduced smart cochlear implant allows for future firmware upgrades of the internal device, enabling integration of advanced signal-processing technologies without the need for additional surgeries.
Doctors said the technology is akin to software updates in smartphones, allowing continuous enhancement of hearing capabilities over time.
The surgery was carried out by a team led by Dr Janardhan Rao Jagini, Head of the ENT Department and senior cochlear implant surgeon, along with audiologists and specialists.
Medical experts noted that early cochlear implantation significantly improves speech and language development in children with profound hearing impairment.
The child, who received the implant at the age of three, is expected to show improved hearing and communication abilities.
Doctors added that cochlear implantation involves not just surgery but also long-term rehabilitation, including audiological evaluation, device programming and speech therapy.
With this procedure, KIMS Hospitals said it has set a new benchmark in adopting advanced cochlear implant technologies in India.
TNT KS
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