Thursday 02 / May / 2024
Muscat : In a first, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital has successfully implanted a hearing-aid on a 14-year-old patient to restore aural abilities.
The operation was performed by a specialized surgical team headed by Dr. Khalid bin Said Al Zaabi, Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.
Al Zaabi confirmed that the team did not face any difficulties during the surgical procedure, which lasted about two hours, as it was well-prepared for. The team had also contacted the manufacturer of the first-of-its kind device and undertaken appropriate measures prior to the operation.
Al Zaabi explained to Oman News Agency that the device is the latest of its kind by the manufacturer, and was implanted for the first time in the Sultanate of Oman, indicating that there is a potential to implant such specific devices for patients in the coming time . He also mentioned there was a continuous coordination with the manufacturers of such devices.
The patient had been suffering from a hearing loss in the left ear for a long time, which affected her daily life and her academic achievement, especially in subjects that depend on a good degree of hearing.
After the surgery, the patient was interviewed in the presence of her parents, and the device was turned on for the first time. The device could successfully restore hearing in the affected ear for the first time since the patient had lost it several years ago.
It is noteworthy that this type of hearing aid is ideal in many cases of hearing loss but is not applicable to cases of conductive hearing loss after ear decay operations in which the ossicles of hearing are eroded, and cases of congenital anomalies at birth such as congenital obstruction of the ear pinna from birth.
