Loyola Medicine’s Hearing Center Announces 500th Cochlear Implant Procedure

2 Apr , 2018

Loyola Medicine’s Hearing Center Announces 500th Cochlear Implant Procedure

Loyola Medicine’s hearing center reached another milestone recently by performing its 500th cochlear implant, the Illinois-based hospital announced.

The procedure was performed by John Leonetti, MD, one of four Loyola otolaryngologists who have extensive experience in cochlear implant surgery, according to the announcement. A cochlear implant is used in patients with sensorineural hearing loss, which is caused by a disease or lesion affecting the inner ear or auditory nerve. The device bypasses damaged parts of the auditory system and stimulates the auditory nerve, enabling the patient to receive sound.

“Cochlear implants allow patients to hear much better, which can greatly improve their quality of life,” said Sam Marzo, MD, chair of Loyola’s department of otolaryngology, who also performs cochlear implants along with Matthew Kircher, MD and Dennis Moore, MD.

“Cochlear implants have become standard treatments for patients with various degrees of sensorineural hearing loss who do not receive enough benefit from hearing aids,” said Audiologist Chief Candace R. Blank, AuD. “But there’s a common misconception that the devices are intended only for patients with profound hearing loss.”

Loyola is said to be among the highest-volume centers for cochlear implants in the Midwest and was among the first centers to implant a hybrid system that combines a cochlear implant with a hearing aid. Loyola offers cochlear implants to patients who have normal or near-normal hearing in one ear (single-sided deafness), especially to those with debilitating tinnitus in the impaired ear. (Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ear.) Loyola is also said to have been among the first centers in the country to offer other leading-edge hearing technologies.

Loyola Medicine is recognized for its expert, clinically integrated team for Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. With extensive experience in managing all aspects of ear, nose and throat conditions, they are committed to upholding their team’s mission of providing the best clinical care, education, and research.

Loyola’s ENT doctors treat children and adults with a wide range of conditions and diseases of the ears, nose, sinuses, larynx, mouth, throat, neck and face. Loyola’s otolaryngologists are trained in both medicine and surgery, and many subspecialize in a particular area.

Their expert otolaryngologists provide advanced treatment for the following conditions:

Allergies
Balance disorders
Cancer of the sinuses
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks
Childhood sleep apnea
Cholesteatoma
Cleft lip and palate
Congenital inner and outer ear disorders
Cranial nerve disorders
Deviated septum
Dizziness
Ear infections
Facial deformities
Facial nerve disorders
Facial paralysis
Facial trauma
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Head and neck injuries
Hearing loss
Hemangiomas
Hoarseness
Loss of smell
Meniere’s disease
Nasal obstruction
Nerve pain
Nerve pathway disorders
Otitis media
Parathyroid nodules and tumors
Pituitary tumors
Polyps
Sinusitis
Sleep disorders
Smell disorders
Swallowing disorders
Swimmers ear
Thyroid nodules and tumors
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Tonsil and adenoid disease
Tracheal stenosis
Tumors of the head and neck
Vestibular schwannoma
Voice disorders

Loyola offers a range of diagnostic tools to evaluate and diagnose conditions, including:

Balance testing 
Bone scan
CT scan (computed tomography)
Endoscopy
Fine-needle biopsy
Hearing testing
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
PET scan (positron emission tomography)
Ultrasound
X-ray

Loyola offers many minimally invasive treatment options and has a reputation for achieving excellent results in endoscopic sinus surgery. Other surgical treatments performed include:

Cochlear implants
Cranial base surgery
Facial reconstruction
Implantation of hearing aids
Nasal surgery
Skull base surgery
Tumor removal

Source: Loyola Medicine
Image credit: Cochlear