Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
Ava's cochlear implant surgery
At five days old, Ava Pearson was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. Her parents share the story of Ava’s successful cochlear implant surgery.
“Ava's cochlear implant surgery
“The implant team here — the expectations that they had for Ava were all of our dreams come true.””
Ava was diagnosed as profoundly deaf after she failed routine newborn hearing tests. Her parents, Lauren and Chris, heard about
The Portland Hospital audiology unit and made an appointment. They were told Ava might be a match for cochlear implant surgery.
Cochlear implants are small hearing devices that are put under the skin behind the ear during surgery. The implant bypasses a faulty hearing organ by electrically stimulating the auditory nerve. The nerve impulse is then transmitted to the brain and hearing is restored. Cochlear implants are not the solution to every hearing problem, but they can drastically improve the quality of life for many people with hearing impairment.
Mr Ben Hartley, Consultant Paediatric ENT Surgeon, says he first saw Ava when she was about six months old. ‘For children who are about 18 months to two years, we have really quite high expectations in terms of how much hearing and speech they’ll acquire,’ he says.
The first operation took place when she was just nine months old and the second at 14 months. Only two years later, with support and guidance from The Portland Hospital and Auditory Verbal UK, Ava can hear and speak. ‘I think we’ve had the best possible experience you could have with something like this. And, I wish that everyone who is diagnosed as profoundly deaf could have the same experience,’ Lauren says.
More patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.