Cochlear implant on 2-yr-old hearing impaired from birth

A group of doctors of Madras ENT Research Foundation performed intricate cochlear implant surgery on a two year old girl recently, who does not have hearing by birth.

"This was the first operation of its kind under “Tamil Nadu chief minister Kalaignar’s Insurance Scheme for Life Saving Treatments and “Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd”, Tamil Nadu., Prof Mohan Kameswaran, who led the team, told reporters here today.

"Kavyadharshini, our patient, is a two-year-old girl who looks normal in every aspect except that she does not have hearing by birth, diagnosed at the age of one-and-half years and she was referred to our institution for further management", he added.

He said chief minister M Karunanidhi and deputy chief minister MK Stalin, who were convinced of the importance of Cochlear Implants and its potential to give hearing and improving the quality of life for young children, have encouraged this effort in rapid implementation of this scheme.