Within Hungary, it was at the University of Debrecen (UD) that the hearing improving implant, considered a wordlwise novelty, which can promote efficient speech comprehension  even in  a noisy environment, was first implanted in the inner ears of two young children, the Clinical Centre’s (DEKK) press conference  on Tuesday was told.

Szilárd Rezes, director of the Clinic of Ear, Nose, and Throat and Head and Neck surgery at DEKK said: the surgery is a milestone in the clinical cochlear implantation programme which began in 2000, numerous congenitally deaf or hard of hearing children have been given devices for improving their hearing.

Due to the most recent development of Danish Oticon Medical two young children were given implants which, by filtering out speech, can enable efficient speech compehension and and faster speech development even in noisy environments, Mr.Rezes stressed. The implants  were placed in both ears of an 18-month-old and a three-year-old child. 

The director of the clinic underlined: but for the implantation, the children suffering from severe hearing problems would remain deaf and potentially completely dumb in their entire lives.  However, the implants make it possible for their speech to improve to be followed by speech development.

Szilárd Rezes, who performed the surgeries jointly with Polish specialists of Warsaw Medical University, said: 25 cochlear implants are implanted yearly in the Clinical Centre of the university covered by social insurance.

 

Kazimierz Niemczyk, director of the Clinic of Ear, Nose and Throat of Warsaw University, underlined:  of all the ipmplants available on the market this device has the thinnest electrode, and the processor behind the ears is the lightest , hence its implantation involves the least invasive surgical  intervention.
 
Nuber Arnold, managing director of Oticon Medical in Hungary, said: the basic materials of the implants are zirconium and titanium, which provide perfect resistance to external agents.

- The cooperation between the two universities and the worldwide company is very important and exemplary. With the cooperation between science, health care and industry, procedures are being developed with a view to promote patients’ health and significantly improve quality of life, József Tőzsér, vice-rector of the University of Debrecen for health industry innovation and training development, said at his press conference.

László Pósán attended the programme as Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the Hungarian Parliament and member of the Hungarian-Polish Section of the Hungarian Parliament. He underlined that in addition to the fact that the surgery contributed to the improvement of the quality of life of two young children, it was also decisive from the aspect of Hungarian-Polish scientific cooperation  and century-old relations. It also contributed to the key role the University of Debrecen int he health industry and patient care.

MTI / Press Office