Sarvodaya Hospital Achieves Milestone With Successful Cochlear Implant In 6-Month-Old Baby

Sarvodaya Hospital in Faridabad has achieved a groundbreaking medical milestone by successfully treating a six-month-old baby for congenital hearing loss. 

The hospital in a press statement on Saturday informed that this marks India’s second youngest case of a successful cochlear implant, highlighting Sarvodaya's commitment to providing affordable, compassionate care with top-class medical facilities.

The baby, born to deaf and mute parents, underwent early screening due to the family’s concern. Diagnostic tests such as Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) revealed congenital hearing loss in both ears. Congenital deafness, caused by abnormal development of the auditory system during fetal development or genetic inheritance, prompted the need for cochlear implant surgery, which was performed successfully.

Cochlear implants are electronic devices that assist individuals with severe hearing loss by bypassing damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulating the hearing nerve. The device consists of an internal part surgically placed inside the ear and an external part comprising a speech processor, transmitting coil, and microphone. Together, these components help send sound signals to the brain, enabling the person to hear.

Ravi Bhatia, Director of ENT and Cochlear Implants at Sarvodaya Hospital, commented on the case: “6-8 out of every 1000 children born in India are detected to have congenital hearing loss, although a large number of newborns are not screened for hearing loss at birth, hence, the actual incidence is expected to be much higher in the community. Globally, the success rate of cochlear implant surgeries in both children and adults exceeds 98 per cent. Early identification and intervention are particularly crucial for children with severe to profound hearing loss, yielding immediate and positive responses. This case was critical as both parents of the baby were deaf and mute, leading the grandparents to screen the baby. Cochlear implants can be life-changing, allowing children to develop typical speech and language milestones and compete with their peers who have normal hearing.”

Raja Suman, Chief Audiologist at the Centre of ENT and Cochlear Implant, Sarvodaya Hospital, added, “The child underwent continuous monitoring to ensure optimal progress. Our team of professionals, including audiologists, auditory-verbal therapists, and speech-language pathologists, closely tracked the child's auditory development, speech, and language. This comprehensive approach aimed to provide tailored support and guidance throughout the rehabilitation process, enabling the child to hear successfully."