The first ever cochlear implant was successfully performed on a 17-year-old patient, at Makkah-based King Abdullah Medical City, where the patient was suffering from severe sensory impairment, at the hearing level. The patient's family was beginning to notice a growing lack of hearing since the patient was of 3 years old, then it developed into complete sensory neuropathy. A medical team had received the patient and was examined by the cochlear implant team and the necessary tests showed the presence of sensory nerve weakness, then it was decided that an operation shall be performed for the patient and the work of implanting the electronic cuckoo, following a selecting an appropriate device. Later on, related tests showed good results of his work and a remarkable success for the first operation. King Abdullah Medical City, in the holy capital, has launched the cochlear implants program, which is a qualitative and specialized service that has a great impact on the patient's life, to restore hearing and re-integrate patients, into the society. The program is based on several specialties, in an integrated manner, including audiology, audio rehabilitation, programming of earphones for cochlear implantation, ear surgery and hearing aid, as well as speech, communication and language proficiency, as such sophisticated and advanced operations are considered as highly qualitative and specialized services.
