Did You Know Dengue Can Lead to Complete Hearing Loss – A True Story of Life Changing Surgery Many people are not aware that dengue fever can cause serious complications beyond the usual symptoms. In this video, I share the true story of a village man who completely lost his hearing after recovering from dengue fever. His journey led him to me in search of a solution. After dengue, he developed meningitis, which progressed into a rare condition called labyrinthitis ossificans. In this condition, the inner ear turns into bone. He had profound hearing loss, and no hearing aid worked for him. He lost his job due to the hearing loss, and the only option left was a cochlear implant. But this was not a normal cochlear implant case. The inner ear was completely ossified. The round window, which is the usual access point for the implant, was fully blocked. I had to perform a complex bypass surgery by drilling into the second turn of the cochlea and passing the electrode through it. The risk was high. Just a few millimeters above was the facial nerve, which controls the patient’s smile. Very close to the surgical site was the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain. One small error could cause severe bleeding or facial paralysis. Using advanced surgical navigation, similar to GPS in surgery, I carefully planned and executed the procedure. The surgery was successful. Postoperative scans and audiology tests showed excellent nerve response. Three weeks after surgery, the cochlear implant was switched on. The patient’s response was emotional and heartwarming. He could hear again and begin a new chapter in his life.
