• Max Hospital, Lucknow successfully performs Lucknow’s first bilateral cochlear implant in private setup
Lucknow: Doctors at Max Hospital, Lucknow, has successfully performed the first synchronous bilateral (both ears) cochlear implant in a private hospital setup in Uttar Pradesh. The procedure was carried out on a 4.5-year-old child from Lucknow, who had congenital deafness and was unable to hear since birth.
After the implants were activated, the child heard sound for the first time. It was a very emotional moment for the family as they witnessed their child hearing sounds for the first time after the surgery.
“This is a proud moment for us. It is the first bilateral cochlear implant in any private or corporate hospital in Lucknow. Congenital deafness, if left unaddressed, could leave the child with no hearing and no speech development for lifetime. It is important to correct it ,” said Dr Sonam Rathi, Senior Consultant and Unit head ENT department at Max Super Specialty Hospital, Lucknow.
The surgery took place in the end of August and lasted for 7 hours. The decision to operate on both ears in one sitting was made after discussions with the parents.
Cochlear implants are crucial for children born with deafness. “Early intervention is key. Children who receive cochlear implants early in life have a better chance to develop language skills on par with those with normal hearing. This allows children to succeed in mainstream classrooms and gain access to spoken language,” said Dr Rathi.
A cochlear implant is a tiny electronic device that is surgically placed behind the ears to help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin.
Cochlear implant surgery is effective on patients who are congenitally deaf and those who lose hearing due to various external factors including drug induced hearing loss and infections.
Currently, alternative treatments such as gene therapy and stem cell therapy are still in the research phase, with no solid evidence available in humans. Therefore, cochlear implants remain the best available option for restoring hearing in such cases.
As per the WHO, about 32 million children worldwide suffer from disabling hearing loss. In India, around 7% of the population is affected by profound deafness, with over a million children requiring hearing aids or cochlear implants. Globally, over 300,000 cochlear implants have been performed, split almost evenly between children and adults.
This successful surgery marks a significant milestone in advanced medical care in Uttar Pradesh and offers hope to many families dealing with congenital deafness.
