On 24 October 2017, in the World Hearing Center of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology in Kajetany, took place the first in CEE cochlear implant surgery with the newest thin, straight electrode HiFocus SlimJ. The operating surgeon was Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, Director of the Institute and Head of the Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Surgery Clinic. Prof. H. Skarżyński is one of the best ear surgeons worldwide, an author of several innovative treatment methods, such as treatment of partial deafness with cochlear implants which was a foundation of the Polish School in World Otosurgery. Because of his extensive experience H. Skarżyński is often invited to perform pioneering surgical procedures using the newest types of hearing implants.

HiFocus SlimJ is a straight electrode of small diameter. Such electrode build facilitates preservation of functional hearing and inner ear structures during its insertion. Use of such electrode in combination with a minimally traumatic insertion method through the round window developed by H. Skarżyński, made it possible to extend the criteria of qualification for cochlear implant to patients with partial deafness, which means people with good, or slightly weakened hearing in low frequencies and significant hearing loss in high frequency range. Using the H. Skarżyński method, insertion of an electrode into a cochlea does not damage its normally functioning segments.

Skarżynski’s method, so called ‘Round Window Approach’, is the topic of the training course ‘Window Approach Workshop WAW’, organized in Kajetany since 10 years ago, with participation of ear surgeons from the whole world. The first in CEE cochlear implantation with the HiFocus SlimJ electrode was one of eight demonstration surgeries performed on 24 Oct. in the World Hearing Center during the WAW workshop. It has been observed by 18 workshop participants – surgeons from the Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as several doctors and residents from the Institute.