The inner ear of a human being includes the organ of hearing which is called the cochlea and a sense organ, which controls the effects of gravity and motion. Anything wrong or any damage to the inner ear results in a feeling of dizziness and difficulty in balancing. The balance portion of the inner ear consists of three semi circular canals and a vestibule. This inner ear is encased in the hardest bone of our body and within this bone are the fluid filled hollows.
Our inner ear can get damaged by drugs and other substances. Some drugs have a direct influence and effect on the inner ear. The inner ear can also be damaged by loud noises and high sound levels which are the bane of the industrialized places. Millions of people exposed to high sound levels on a daily basis may have significant hearing loss. Those working in industries which make a lot of noise that are very high and loud, are in danger of having their hearing impaired and may experience loss of hearing. This loss of hearing can be corrected by surgery. This is a delicate and difficult microsurgery, which should be done by experts in the field. The surgery has a high rate of success. It is done using implants in the cochlea, which will stimulate the nerve ends in the inner ear, making even deaf people capable of hearing. The device has a microphone that is outside the ear, which selects and codes speech sounds and a receiver that converts the sounds to electric signals, which stimulate the hearing device, and is interpreted by the brain as sounds. Making an incision behind and slightly above the ear, and drilling a circular hole in the bone to receive the device’s internal coil can do this implant. The bone leading to the middle ear is opened to receive the electrodes and the internal coil is inserted and secured, followed by electrodes.
The wound is now stitched and when it heals an external unit consisting of a stimulator with a microphone is worn behind the ear. This operation can be performed in a hospital under general anesthesia. It normally takes around two hours and the patient has to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. He has to take adequate care and rest, see that he does not cough or sneeze and does not expose the wound to infection.
The patient can resume his normal duties in about a couple of weeks when the wound would have completely healed after the inner ear reconstruction. |
