Otology, Balance & Hearing Implant (OBHI) Service

The Otology, Balance and Hearing Implant (OBHI) Service at Changi General Hospital was previously known as the Ear, Balance and Hearing Implant Team back in 2010. It aims to value-add to the care of patients by offering comprehensive and patient-centric service to patients who require Otologic and Neurotologic interventions. It is the first service in Singapore to train a group of Speech Therapists for the rehabilitation of adult patients after hearing implants, and also the first to perform BoneBridge implantation.

Otology / Neurotology is a subspecialty within Otolaryngology which focuses on diseases of the outer, middle and inner ear as well as the lateral skull base. These diseases include benign and malignant conditions such as external and middle ear infections, cholesteatoma, facial nerve disorders, skull base lesions (such as middle ear encephaloceles, jugular foramen schwannomas), malignant temporal bone tumours and various causes of vertigo. Beyond that, another role of the OBHI Service is the rehabilitation and restoration of hearing through hearing aids and hearing implants.

The members of the OBHI Service have specialised training and frequently collaborate with other specialists such as the Head and Neck Surgeons and Neurosurgeons in managing complex cases. For the comprehensive management of hearing loss, the service involves Allied Health personnel such as Audiologists, Speech Therapists, Physiotherapists and Medical Social Workers. In managing patients with dizziness, collaborations with the Neurologists, Neuro-diagnostic Technicians, and Vestibular Rehabilitative Therapists are essential.

To ensure holistic care of our patients with hearing loss, the service conducts a monthly multi-disciplinary Cochlear Implant Team meeting. In this meeting, potential hearing implant candidates, the progress of implant recipients and any victories or challenges in patients’ journeys are discussed.

The service organises a regular patient support group, hosts and participates in the national Otology Board meetings and is involved in research and education. The patient support group invites current and potential hearing implant recipients to interact with members of the OBHI Service, allowing them to share their experiences and provide mutual support.

With regards to education, the service engages the public, patients and professionals. The service runs a regular temporal bone dissection workshop and hearing implant masterclass at a post-graduate level and its members are frequently invited to speak at local, regional and international conferences.
Some characteristics of the OBHI service includes:

Availability of subspecialists for the management of complex ear and balance disorders.
Provision of coordinated and seamless care for patients who require subspecialised care.
Post-hearing implantation rehabilitation that is tailored for and dedicated to adult patients.