BD girl gets Tamil Nadu’s first smart cochlear implant

Apollo Children’s Hospitals, Chennai performs Tamil Nadu’s first Cochlear Nucleus Nexa implant surgery.

A 9-year-old girl from Bangladesh, who has suffered from severe hearing loss in both ears and delayed speech and language development since birth has received a vibrant surgery.

She travelled to Chennai specifically for this procedure.
The surgery marks an important milestone in healthcare on World Hearing Day recently. The procedure was led by Dr Venkatakarthikeyan C, placing the hospital among the first centres in India to adopt this next-generation cochlear implant technology.

The child will begin the next phase of treatment in the coming weeks, when her external sound processor will be activated and programmed to optimise hearing outcomes.

She is currently recovering well and remains under close post-operative monitoring.
The Cochlear Nucleus Nexa is the world’s first smart cochlear implant system powered by the NEXOS chipset.

It supports future software updates, allowing patients to benefit from technological advancements without the need for additional surgery. It also uses advanced signal processing and stimulation technology, which improves sound clarity and speech perception in complex environments such as classrooms or group settings.

Speaking on the milestone, Dr Venkatakarthikeyan C said, “This smart technology provides children with consistent access to sound, which helps improve speech and language development, academic performance, social interaction, and the development of the brain’s auditory pathways.

We combine cutting-edge medical innovation with comprehensive post-operative care and structured rehabilitation to ensure the best possible long-term outcomes for our young patients.”