The press release from KMC Medical Superintendent Dr T S Raghuraman informed that the child of four years had both ears severe to profound sensorineural (nerve deafness) hearing loss. Such congenital hearing impairment is common with 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 live births.

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that is useful for persons who have severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss and who are unable to benefit from the hearing aids. Cochlear implant consists of an external speech processor and headset (worn behind the ear) and an internal surgically implanted receiver/stimulator package with an electrode array. The device transforms speech and other sounds into electrical energy that is used to stimulate the hearing nerve in the inner ear, the release stated.

The surgery was performed under the leadership of ENT Department Head Dr Deepak Ranjan Nayak. The surgery took about three hours and the internal portions of the cochlear implant system were implanted totally beneath the skin.