Lanzarote Hospital performs hearing implant surgery, restoring patient’s hearing

A patient on the island has regained her hearing following a groundbreaking procedure at the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital.

The ENT department at the Lanzarote centre, has successfully performed its first osteointegrated hearing implant operation.

The surgery, carried out last December, was made possible through collaboration with Jesús Benítez del Rosario, head of the ENT department at the Dr. Negrín University Hospital in Gran Canaria. He travelled to Lanzarote to assist the Molina Orosa team, bringing specialist expertise to the pioneering intervention.

For patients who cannot achieve satisfactory hearing improvement with conventional aids, the osseointegrated hearing implant is an effective solution. The device comprises two components: a titanium implant secured to the temporal bone, and an external sound processor. Once attached via a magnetic system, the processor transmits sound vibrations directly through the bone to the inner ear, stimulating the cochlea. This, in turn, converts the vibrations into nerve impulses and sends them to the brain.

Dr Antonio Martel López, head of Otolaryngology at Molina Orosa, stressed the significance of the technique. “This is a minimally invasive procedure with great benefits for patients who, for various reasons such as chronic conditions, ear malformations, or intolerance, cannot use conventional hearing aids,” he said.

Following surgery, the implant is left to integrate with the bone over a period of approximately one month. Once osseointegration is complete, the external processor is fitted and connected via the magnetic system. At this stage, patients begin to hear sounds clearly and distinctly once more.

The recipient of the procedure is a 39-year-old woman who had been living with chronic otitis media and tympanosclerosis. She is currently in the adaptation phase with the device and has already experienced a significant recovery in her auditory capacity.

The successful operation marks an important step forward for ENT services in Lanzarote, reducing the need for patient referrals to other islands and reinforcing the hospital’s capacity to deliver specialised care locally.