Territory adults and children will be given the gift of hearing this Christmas, when the latest round of cochlear implants provided through a partnership between Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) and the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) are ‘switched on’.
Ear Nose and Throat surgeon, Dr Hemi Patel explained that the implants will allow some patients to hear for the first time, while others who have suffered hearing loss later in life will reconnect with their families, friends and communities.
“Royal Darwin Hospital and SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, an RIDBC service, began working in partnership last January, and have now completed cochlear implant surgeries for 12 Territorians,” Dr Patel said.
“The implants are electronic devices, inserted by an operation under general anaesthetic that can take several hours. About a week later patients have their devices ‘switched on’.”
The latest recipient, 60-year-old Richard Hall from Berry Springs had his implant ‘switched on’ today by an RIDBC Audiologist, ending 14 years of hearing loss.
“I suffered hearing loss to my right ear after swimming in a gorge in the Kimberly. I was coping OK with one ear until 2005 when I woke up one morning with severe hearing loss in my left ear,” Richard said.
“I was unable to get work and my social life dropped to almost zero, I was unable to do basic things like use a telephone.
“I am looking forward to being able to interact with friends and family again and to have some sort of social life after all this time with none. I am sure the implant will change my life dramatically, allowing me to do most of the things that people with good hearing take for granted, like stress-free shopping and phoning friends and family.”
Dr Patel said that hearing loss affects people adversely and in a variety of ways, with implications for their communication, health and wellbeing, as well as their social, recreational and work participation. In children it can affect their relationships, education and future life chances.
“The benefit to the patient is impossible to put a price on, and the benefit to society of people who are able to hear, attain maximum education and work normally, incomparable.
“The device is implanted into the bone behind the ear, with an electrode array that passes into the cochlea (the ‘inner ear’). Electrical impulses from the electrodes stimulate the hearing nerve, which in turn send impulses to the brain; then interpreted as sound.”
Eleanor McKendrick, Clinical Operations Manager of SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, said providing high quality, integrated services for people with hearing loss is key to the program’s success.
“We work closely with RDH to provide a seamless service to people in the Top End, with RIDBC’s SCIC Cochlear Implant Program supporting clients from the early stages of hearing assessment, through to cochlear implantation and rehabilitation. This support then continues for as long as is needed.”
According to data from the World Health Organisation, over 120,000 adults and children with a severe to profound hearing loss could benefit from a cochlear implant in Australia, and millions more could benefit worldwide.
Media contact: Golden Noble-Harris 0419 818 414