Muscat – Al Nahda Hospital has performed more than 835 cochlear implant surgeries, consolidating its role as Oman’s reference centre for the specialised procedure and expanding access to treatment for people with severe hearing loss.

Affiliated with the Directorate General of Khoula Hospital, Al Nahda provides diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation for cochlear implant patients, according to the Ministry of Health.

Its medical team has also introduced cochlear implant procedures under local anaesthesia for certain patients, depending on their health condition and assessment by specialists.

Among its more notable cases was a cochlear implant performed on a nine-week-old baby, which the hospital described as one of the youngest patients in the world to undergo the procedure.

A cochlear implant is an electronic device surgically placed in the inner ear for people with severe to profound hearing loss who receive limited benefit from conventional hearing aids. The device stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing sound signals to reach the brain.

For children in particular, early intervention can help support speech and language development, communication and social interaction.

The Al Nahda team also conducts periodic visits to governorates across Oman to perform procedures and bring specialised care closer to patients who would otherwise need to travel to Muscat.

The hospital stressed that surgery represents only one part of the treatment process. Regular follow-up and auditory and language rehabilitation are essential to help patients gain maximum benefit from the implant.

It also highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, particularly among children, as delays in identifying hearing loss can affect the development of speech, language and communication skills.