Music to her ears
MORE than a decade after losing her hearing, a 36-year-old woman was finally able to hear the sounds of music and laughter when the cochlear implant she received three weeks ago was activated on Monday.
For Silindile Myeza, the successful implant operation completed at Ngwelezana Tertiary Hospital is not just about reclaiming her hearing, but her life.
This was a first for the hospital, and described as an 'exciting era where patients’ lives will be changed for the better'.
“This was a historical moment for the hospital, which is now able to offer this advanced hearing surgery for patients who no longer benefit from hearing aids,” said ENT Dr Lungi Setoaba.
The cochlear implant procedure was performed by a team of specialists, including Setoaba, audiologist Lindokuhle Zitha, and others.
This was part of the KZN Auditory Implant Programme (KZNAIP) which was formed by a multidisciplinary team a few years ago.
According to reports, the patient lost her hearing in both ears after being on tuberculosis treatment.
“The ototoxicity drugs caused damage and left her with profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears. This meant she went from hearing everything in the world to total silence.
“She was fitted with superpower hearing aids in both ears, but they were only helpful for stimulation of the brain and hearing environmental sounds,” said hospital public relations officer Sphamandla Buthelezi.
This procedure was the second for a KZN public hospital; the first was performed at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital last November.