A cochlear implant is an electronic implantable device that can provide auditory sensations to children who are deaf, whether they have congenital deafness, or deafness that developed shortly after birth (prelingual deafness), or later (postlingual deafness). In this clinical facility, bilateral synchronous implantation for children with congenital deafness is the standard solution and is always offered to parents as the first-choice method. The cochlear implantation procedure involves a team of specialists, including not only the surgeon but also an otolaryngologist, speech therapist, clinical engineer, and many others.
Recently, a hearing brainstem implant was performed on a young child at this clinical facility. This type of implant is indicated for a narrow range of patients who have an underdeveloped auditory nerve, making it impossible to use a cochlear implant. During the procedure, a plate with electrodes is placed on the brainstem, and the surgery is performed in collaboration with a neurosurgeon. It should be noted that the foundations for neuroprosthesis implantation into the brainstem were laid in the Czech Republic 25 years ago by a team of surgeons with international participation, led by Prof. MUDr. Jan Betka, DrSc., at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, in Motol.
In addition to cochlear implants, the clinic also performs surgeries for hearing implants based on the principle of bone conduction (Bone Conduction Implant, BCI), which are intended for patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss.