SHIJA successfully implants Cochlear on kid girl
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 14 2022: Shija Hospitals & Research Institute (SHRI) has become the first private hospital in North East region to perform a cochlear implant surgery by successfully implanting the device on a four-and-a-half year old girl on July 13.According to release by SHRI business development deputy manager Takhellambam Premkumar, a team of ENT surgeons, audiologists and other staff of Shija helped achieve the milestone.

The team of ENT surgeons comprised Department of ENT HOD Prof (Dr) RK Bedajit Singh, consultant ENT Head and Neck surgeon Dr Moirangthem Niteshore Singh, consultant ENT surgeon Dr Taorem Medhapati Devi and Dr Yumnam Anupama Devi.

The release said that intraoperative monitoring had shown that the implant has worked optimally after the surgery.

The patient will receive auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) at SHRI for at least two years to help her become acclimated to the implant after the surgery.

Describing about the patient, the release informed that the patient is a special child, bom with hearing impairment in both ears and was only detected when she was one and a half years' old.

A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged part of the ear ana stimulates the hearing nerve directly.

With cochlear implants, a sound processor is worn behind the ears to stimulate the auditory nerve, which subsequently sends the signals to the brain.

The brain interprets the impulses as sounds.

This enhances the clarity of sounds and improves the ability to understand speech.

Cochlear implant surgery could be performed on adults as well as children, the release elaborated.

Dr Niteshore said that hearing disability hinders the normal brain development of the child and therefore early intervention is critical, as the development of the human brain matures by the age of five.

The consultant urged the parents and policymakers to implement Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS), also often referred to as Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programmes in some countries.

This method helps in identifying congenital hearing loss at an early age.

The services under this programme are designed to enable early identification, intervention, and follow-up of infants and young children who have difficulty in hearing.

The consultant continued that every new-born must undergo a hearing test before being discharged from the hospital.

This is the accepted global standard.

He further highlighted the EHDI 1-3-6 guidelines, which states that a child should receive a hearing screening no later than one month of age; a diagnosis no later than 3 months of age; and entry into early intervention services no later than 6 months of age.

The patient 's father also expressed his appreciation for the procedure and joy at seeing his child have the best chance to live a normal, productive life, added the release.

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