Madras ENT Research Foundation (P) Ltd, (MERF) is one of the foremost institutions in the country offering the State of the Art facilities in ENT surgery. It's Managing Director, Dr.Mohan Kameswaran is a highly acclaimed surgeon both nationally and internationally. Under his leadership a team of eminent consultants have advanced the speciality and made MERF a byword in the area of Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery throughout the country.

Madras ENT Research Foundation (P) Ltd, has several 'firsts' to its credit.

- It is the first institution to introduce KTP 532 Laser in India at a cost of
  US$ 15,000. This was inaugurated by the former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu,
  Thiru. M. Karunanidhi.

- It is the first institution to introduce sophisticated Contour Cochlear Implant in
  the whole of Asia. With this technology it is possible to restore hearing in deaf
  and dumb children and bring them back into the mainstream of society as
  normal hearing citizens.

- MERF is the first to introduce "Voice Laboratory" for the "care of the
  Professional Voice" like singers, teachers etc.

- It is also one of the first institutes to set up a Sleep laboratory in India for the
  management of snoring & sleep disorders.

MERF is one of the pioneering institutions in Asia in Cochlear Implant with a dedicated team of surgeons, audiologists and Auditory verbal therapists. It is one of the comprehensive Cochlear Implant clinics in Asia with all facilities under one roof.

MERF uses Internationally accepted and widely used "Nucleus" Devices both straight and Contour. Being a top referral centre for Cochlear Implant. MERF has rich experience in dealing with various types of abnormal cochleas including Mondini deformity, Ossified cochleas rotated cochleas and patients with single nerves. MERF is also the first centre to introduce the contour implant and more recently, the split array in India.

It is also a matter of pride that the institution is recognized as a higher training center for specialists by the armed forces.

Auditory Brain Stem Implant :
MERF performed the first Auditory Brain Stem implant in South and South East Asia. A 15 year old girl with bilateral acoustic nerve tumours underwent tumour removal on the 2nd side with concurrent Brain Stem implantation of the cochlear nucleus. The girl is now undergoing rehabilitation and is attending normal school.

MERF Completes 150 Implants: On 27th Nov 2005 Mohd Syed Abrar, a 2 ½ year old child from Mangalore underwent Cochlear Implantation. This marks the 150th Implant performed at MERF with this MERF crosses yet another milestone.
 

Auditory Brain Stem Implantation ~ A feather in the Cap at MERF

Jayalakshmi, a 15 year old girl from Chennai became the first person in India and South & South East Asia to receive an Auditory Brainstem implant in her brain to restore lost hearing. This momentous achievement was made possible by a team of surgeons from Madras ENT Research Foundation and Achanta Lakshmipathy Neurosurgical Centre, VHS, Chennai under the guidance of Prof Peter Sollmann of Braunschweig,

The first Auditory Brain Stem Implant Surgery in India and South & South East Asia was done at Chennai on December 15th , 2004.

1. What is Brain Stem Implant:-

A Brain stem Implant is an implant device which is kept on the hearing area of the Brain Stem. This device collects external sounds, converts them into electrical energy and stimulates the nucleus (Cochlear nucleus) in the brain stem - giving the patient, a perception of sound.

2. Who benefits from a Brain Stem Implant?

A Brain Stem Implant is a rare and highly advanced surgery which is performed on 2 categories of patients:

- Patients who have tumours of both sides of the brain involving the nerve of hearing. In these patients , the tumour as well as removal of the tumour causes total loss of hearing.
- Children born with congenital deafness of both ears who have no inner ear (Cochlear) development or no nerve of hearing.

In South Asia and South East Asia , this is the first Auditory Brain stem implant to be performed . This is a milestone in the progress of surgery in this part of the world. By performing this surgery, India (and Chennai) join a select club of medically advanced countries in the world capable of doing such advanced surgery to restore hearing in people with profound or total deafness. In Asia , one other brain stem implant has been done in Hongkong by Professor Sollmonn.

Facilities at MERF ENT Research Foundation, Chennai

Voice Laboratory
Voice lab used for detection of voice disorders like,
- Hoarseness of voice.
- Pitch variation.
- Double voice.
- Men with female voice and vice versa.

Vertigo clinic
Patients with problems of dizziness are treated in the vertigo clinic.

Vestibular Laboratory
This clinic is used for detection and diagnosis of disorders of balance.

Allergy & Headache Clinic
Allergy is one of the most common problems in ENT. Patients are screened for specific allergens and offered effective remedies. Skin tests to detect specific allergens are routinely done. Video endoscopy is done to detect allergy related changes in the nose and sinuses.

Sleep Laboratory
Assessment of snoring and sleep apnoea (cessation of breathing during sleep)
One of the few such facilities available in India .

Blood oxygen level, snoring decibel level, pulse, BP, ECG etc are monitored during sleep.

All routine ENT Surgeries are performed along with specialised surgeries like

- Phono Surgery
- Surgery for Giddiness
- Head & Neck, Skull Base Surgery
- FESS - Functional Endoscopic sinus surgery
- Surgery for Deafness
- Surgery to clear infection of the ear
- Surgery for infection of the ear-micro surgery

Phono Surgery
It is a surgery which is used for,
- Alteration of voice.
- Correction of voice.

Head & Neck, Skull Base Surgery
- Surgery of tumors of skull base
- Surgery for diseases of the neck and head including thyroid and para-thyroid
  surgery
- Surgery of cancer of larynx (voice box)
- Post cricoid Cancer (food passage cancer)
- Cancer of the neck & salivary glands
- Cancer of sinuses

Endoscopy
- It is a surgery for repair of CSF leak (Cerebro Spinal Fluid)
- Surgery for lacrimal sac [Chronic Tearing]
- Surgery for problems of the wind pipe [Trachea]
- Endoscopic surgery for treating various diseases of the sinuses.
- Endoscopic sinus surgery for treatment of nasal and sinus diseases.

Procedure and Diagnostic Facilities

Stroboscopy
MADRAS ENT RESEARCH FOUNDATION has the state of the art ATMOS Stroboscope from Germany.

This has revolutionized the way we assess and treat voice disorders.

Stroboscopy is the most vital part of a voice lab.

The instrument provides flashes of light during endoscopy of the vocal cords and produces an optical illusion in slow motion.
Fine details of the vocal cord can be made out and helps to differentiate structural defects from functional defects.

It is useful to detect.

- Vocal Cord weakness.
- Vocal Cord paralysis.
- Early cancer of the vocal cords.
- Polyps and nodules of the vocal cord.

The fundamental or natural frequency of the voice can be assessed. Therefore the voice can be analyzed regularly for changes of pitch. This facility aids to preserve the voice of professional voice users like teachers, singers, politicians, public relation officers & management professionals. They can be periodically evaluated and screened to detect voice disorders at an early stage.

Audiometry

BERA:- It is the test used for screening of hearing in infants and children.
Impedance:- Testing of middle ear pressure
Testing of hearing loss in children.
Puretone:- Testing the degree and type of hearing loss

Auditory Verbal Therapy Unit

Only such facility attached to the hospital in India.
Used for teaching profoundly deaf children and Cochlear Implant recipients. It is a method emphasing listening and speaking. Here the philosophy is to teach the hearing challenged child to hear and speak. A specially trained teacher/therapist handles the implantee children and co-ordinates between the clinics, parents and the schools.

Computerised Clinical Laboratory

MERF has a sophisticated laboratory with the following instruments:

- Automated Biochemistry Analyser TRIVILAB 10
- HUMAR READER SINGLE -Elisa strip reader
- Laminar Flow system
- A fully computerized ECG and X-ray unit augment the investigation facilities.

All types of blood, serology, haematology tests are done here. There is also a full fledged Microbiology lab for bacterial and fungal studies.

For Detailed Dossier on Madras ENT Research Centre, please write to us at  mktg@mediescapes.com