A case report: the first successful cochlear implant in Uganda

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurosurgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hearing impairment affects over 120 million people globally, predominantly in developing countries.
• Severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss often necessitates advanced interventions like cochlear implantation.
• Access to advanced audiological and surgical interventions remains a challenge in many low-resource settings.

Observation:

• A 23-year-old male with a history of tuberculosis mastoiditis presented with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss.
• ENT examination revealed cholesteatoma in the right ear; CT scans showed normal inner ear anatomy.
• The patient underwent a successful cochlear implant surgery on the right ear.

Findings:

• The cochlear implant was activated remotely via the internet on the first postoperative day.
• The patient immediately perceived sounds post-activation, indicating successful device function.
• The patient was discharged the day after surgery, having also received a pneumococcal vaccine.

Implications:

• This case demonstrates the feasibility and success of cochlear implantation in Uganda, a low-resource country.
• Remote activation technology can facilitate cochlear implant care in underserved regions.
• Establishing local expertise and infrastructure for cochlear implantation is crucial for expanding access to hearing restoration therapies.