2024 Volume 67 Issue 1 Pages 54-60
Hokkaido, where our hospital is located, is a vast area occupying about one-fourth the total area of Japan, and access to specialized medical institutions is a constant problem. We examined the regional differences, in Hokkaido, in the age of the patients at the time of the first visit to our hospital, age at the time of cochlear implant surgery, and time from first visit to cochlear implant surgery in children with congenital hearing loss in Hokkaido. The subjects were 52 patients who underwent cochlear implant surgery between April 1, 2014, and December 31, 2021, at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Sapporo Medical University. For patients from the remote areas, the first visit was significantly delayed, resulting in a shorter preparation period for the surgery. In addition, a questionnaire survey of the patients suggested a higher physical and mental burden on the patients.
We are attempting to raise the awareness of the population about the need for early diagnosis and treatment intervention for hearing loss, and strengthening remote consultations and medical support for distant areas, and the situation is gradually improving. Further efforts are needed to reduce the anxiety and burden of the patients and their families.
