Symptoms patients commonly notice
- Conductive hearing loss from eardrum or ossicular disease
- Severe hearing difficulty despite well-fitted hearing aids
- Profound hearing loss with limited speech understanding
- Complex inner-ear or auditory-nerve anatomy
- Hearing loss after chronic ear disease or previous surgery
Diagnosis and investigations
The treatment pathway begins by defining whether hearing loss arises from the eardrum, hearing bones, cochlea or auditory nerve. Candidacy is based on audiology, imaging, anatomy, medical fitness and realistic rehabilitation goals.
Treatment options
- Tympanoplasty for selected eardrum perforations
- Ossiculoplasty to reconstruct the hearing-bone chain
- Cochlear implantation for suitable severe or profound loss
- Auditory brainstem implantation for rare, highly selected indications
- Programming, rehabilitation and long-term follow-up
Care with Dr. Pradeep Vundavalli
Dr. Pradeep Vundavalli is an ENT surgeon with a focused interest in otology, neurotology, vertigo and balance disorders, advanced ear surgery and implant otology. At Asian Superspeciality ENT Hospital, the pathway connects examination, appropriate investigations, explanation of options and follow-up.
The hospital is located in Seethammapeta, Visakhapatnam and provides specialist ENT evaluation for patients from the city and surrounding regions.
Frequently asked questions
What is ossiculoplasty?
It reconstructs the middle-ear hearing-bone chain to improve sound transmission when anatomy and ear health permit.
How is a cochlear implant different?
A cochlear implant electrically stimulates the auditory nerve for selected severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss.
What is an auditory brainstem implant?
It bypasses the cochlea and auditory nerve to stimulate the cochlear nucleus region in highly selected patients.
Does every reconstruction improve hearing?
No. Outcome depends on disease, anatomy, nerve function and rehabilitation; disease control may be the first priority.