MTRH perfomes first Cochlear implant surgery in EAC

The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret on Wednesday performed its first successful Cochlear Implant Surgery.

Cochlear implant surgery is a procedure that helps individuals with severe hearing loss regain hearing ability.

This makes MTRH the first public hospital to undertake specialist surgery in the East and Central African region.

In a statement, MTRH said the surgery, which took two hours, was on a young lady who was diagnosed with PostLingual Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

The team included Otolaryngologist at MTRH Dr Menach Owen, Badr Eldin Mostafa from Ain Shams University, Egypt assisted by Dr Rotich Gerald among others.

MTRH said the surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and a small incision is made behind the ear to access the Cochlear.

"This surgery can be performed on pre-lingual; children below three years who have not developed hearing and speech and post-lingual,  older children and adults who have developed hearing and speech but lost hearing," the statement read.

"Cochlear surgery will significantly improve the hearing and quality of life for people with severe hearing loss."

According to MTRH after surgery,  the patients are able to contribute their full potential towards the Society.