Montreal Children's Hospital performs first cochlear implant surgery on young 'super hear-o'
Two weeks ago, a child with hearing loss being treated at the Montreal Children's Hospital underwent cochlear implant surgery, a procedure that was only offered in Quebec City until now.
Arman Dimirjian started losing his hearing when he was three years old. By the time he was 10, the impairment in his left ear meant that his hearing aids couldn’t help anymore. This meant he was eligible for a cochlear implant.
Dimirjian was the first patient in Montreal to receive the surgery on Jan. 17, 2023. The procedure was a success — so much so that he feels like he has new "superpowers."
The implant consists of an electronic device that replaces the function of damaged or missing hair cells in the inner ear that transmit stimulation to the hearing nerve fibres.
"It’s really great. I can hear things better now. Well, sort of, because it’s kind of sounding robotic, but I’ll get used to it soon and I just can’t wait to hear things so clearly," he said.
The staff that has gotten to know him affectionately calls him their "super hear-o."
Arman Dimirjian is excited by the fact that the implant is completely waterproof. (Christine Long/CTV News)
The robotic sounds Dimirjian mentioned are being fine-tuned as the cochlear implant is finessed for him during weekly adjustments.
"At first, the nerve receives those electric impulses and feeds the brain with that electric sound, which sounds robotic," said audiologist François Prevost, who treated him.
"What is beautiful with that is that it’s the brain that's receiving the nerve or the signal that, over time, will learn to transform that robotic signal into something that sounds natural."
Surgically, the implant was placed under the skin with a wire right into the cochlear part of the inner ear.
"It’s better for him in crowds with noise and knowing where sounds are coming from,” said Dr. Melanie Duval, an otolaryngologist.
"By bypassing the natural pathway of sound, we’re able to help him hear better. So we really bypass what’s no longer working well and feed his hearing nerve with electric signals that deliver him sound. And with better hearing comes a fuller life."
His mother, Maggie Dimirjian, said this is a positive first step to gaining his hearing.
"He hears music better, and in school, it’s helping him a lot," she said.
"This is just the beginning, and already he’s doing very well. He’s received it well, the implant, and we already see progress.”
The progress is expected to continue as Dimirjian gets used to his new superpower.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.