New implant lets Upper Austrian mother hear children around the clock

A mother of two in Upper Austria can now hear her children around the clock after becoming the first patient in the state to receive a fully implanted cochlear device, ORF reported. The operation was performed at Kepler University Hospital in Linz.

Unlike conventional cochlear implants, the new device has no visible external component on the head. Standard models use a microphone attached magnetically outside the head, and patients cannot hear when it is removed, such as at night or in the shower.

The 35-year-old woman had the operation earlier this week, partly so she could hear her children at night. Paul Martin Zwittag, head of the hospital’s ear, nose and throat department, said she was “in tears with happiness” that she could now hear around the clock.

A robot called Otto assisted during surgery, guiding the delicate electrode into the inner ear more slowly and precisely than a person could, according to the hospital. The Linz operation was only the second worldwide to use this robotic assistance. Around 30 of the new implants have been fitted worldwide so far.

Children and teenagers could particularly benefit from the technology. The implant is expected to be approved for that age group next year, allowing activities such as swimming, running and climbing without the risk of losing an external component.

The new implant costs about 50,000 euros, roughly twice as much as conventional cochlear implants. The procedure is publicly funded, in this case by the state of Upper Austria and local municipalities. The number of operations that can be carried out in future will depend largely on funding, said state health councillor Christine Haberlander.