Team News Riveting
Raipur, January 15
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur has achieved a significant milestone in advanced medical care by successfully performing its first bilateral sequential cochlear implant surgery using Smart Navigation (Smart Nav) technology. The surgery was conducted on a four-year-old girl suffering from congenital severe bilateral hearing loss.
The procedure was carried out by the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Head and Neck Surgery, AIIMS Raipur, employing Smart Nav technology—an advanced navigation-assisted system designed specifically for cochlear implantation. This state-of-the-art technology enables precise electrode placement, enhances surgical accuracy, reduces operative time, and contributes to improved post operative auditory outcomes.
The complex surgery was performed jointly by invited guest faculty Dr Hetal Marfatia, Professor and Head, Department of ENT, Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and Dr Renu Rajguru, Professor and Head, Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, AIIMS Raipur. Smart Nav technology provides enhanced intraoperative guidance and real-time feedback on electrode insertion, thereby minimizing potential intracochlear trauma and significantly improving hearing and speech development outcomes in pediatric patients.
On the occasion, Lieutenant General Ashok Kumar Jindal (Retired), Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal awardee, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, AIIMS Raipur, congratulated the surgical team for this landmark achievement. Emphasizing the importance of early detection and timely intervention in children with congenital hearing impairment, he stated that the adoption of advanced techniques such as navigation-assisted cochlear implantation reflects AIIMS Raipur’s continued commitment to embracing cutting-edge medical technologies and delivering the best possible care to patients and the community.
The achievement marks a significant step forward in strengthening pediatric hearing rehabilitation services at AIIMS Raipur and reinforces the institution’s growing stature as a leading center for advanced cochlear implant surgery at the national level.
