Live-tweeted and Instagrammed cochlear implant (hearing restoration) surgery on October 2, 2012
@Swedish in Seattle, WA was inspired to create more resources for people with hearing loss after learning how few people know that cochlear implants are available, according to our surgeon. See the live-tweeted and Instagrammed cochlear implant surgery, plus additional resources from the web series:
- This is the inspiration behind #SwedishHear:
Wondering why @Swedish is live-tweeting and Instagramming a cochlear implant surgery tomorrow (#SwedishHear)? Find out: bit.ly/OAafbY- A few different tweets, articles, and features prior to the live-tweeted and Instagrammed surgery:
Tomorrow morning, @Swedish Medical Center will live-tweet a hearing restoration surgery, writes @thealexknapp. bit.ly/R808HG
Hashtag "scalpel": Seattle's @Swedish hospital to live-tweet cochlear implant surgery tomorrow. cnet.co/O1aueN #SwedishHear
Seattle Hospital Will Live Tweet, Instagram First Hearing Restoration Surgery - on.mash.to/QIa3Gu- Sneak peek: what will #SwedishHear look like? instagram.com/p/QP9D73qGjr/ Behind the scenes tweets/pics of cochlear implant surgery (beg. ~7:30am)
Tomorrow, Tues Oct 2, I will live instagram a cochlear implant surgery on behalf of @swedish surgeon Dr. Backous.. tune in, starting at 730am- We arrived early on Tuesday, October 2 at our Swedish Cherry Hill campus to scrub up and follow Mrs. Day throughout the process, beginning at 5:30 a.m. (PT):
- Who is tweeting/Instagramming @Swedish? @Danamlewis behind scenes on Twitter here at #SwedishHear & @drewsymonds supporting on Instagram.
- Arriving at @Swedish Cherry Hill this morning for #SwedishHear (not an Instagram pic - yet! :)) ^DL twitpic.com/b0d2yp
- An earlier pic that may not have gone through: Mrs. Day checking in for surgery @Swedish instagr.am/p/QR9EpTqGtR/ #swedishhear
- Mr. Day following the Twitter feed while his wife changes for the procedure #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QR9wm6qGtt/
- Dr. Backous marking the ear of Mrs. Day in preparation for her procedure #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSAAhkqGuf/
- Mrs. Day went to her eye doctor to have her glasses modified for the day of surgery. What's missing? #swedis instagr.am/p/QSDgXeqGgJ/
- Mrs. Day says she is enjoying having us take pics & tweet because it's the fun part and takes her mind off the surgery itself! #SwedishHear
- RT “@otorhinolarydoc: @Swedish Australia is watching and cheering you on.” #swedishhear thank you! ^DL
- Dr. Backous in the locker room preparing for Mrs. Day's cochlear implant procedure at 7:40am Pacific #swedis instagr.am/p/QSCPRWKGvi/
- Mr Day saying 'see you soon' w/ a kiss as his wife heads 2 surgery #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSElkrKGg2/
- Just arrived to the PACU. Waiting for the anesthesiologist to arrive #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSFS8CqGhJ/
- We will - thank you! RT “@otorhinolarydoc: @Swedish Pls thank Mr & Mrs Day for their willingness to share their journey. #SwedishDay
- In the PACU, one of our nurses is confirming health and safety information again with Mrs. Day. #SwedishHear
Thank you Mr. And Mrs. Day for allowing us the opportunity to follow you on this journey. This is social media at its best! #swedishhear
Thanks @Swedish for allowing us to be part of this great day. I have hearing loss & am thrilled to see what will be learned. #swedishhear- One of the OR nurses who will be in the procedure has stopped by for a final touch base with Mrs. Day. #swedishhear
Thank you Mrs. Day for sharing your journey. Best of luck to you! Also, thanks to the surgical team @Swedish. #swedishhear- #swedishhear thanks to everyone for the best wishes to Mrs. Day! We are heading to the OR now.
- Dr. Backous holding Mrs. Day's hand prior to the procedure: instagr.am/p/QSKiVCqGkn/ #SwedishHear
- Dr. Backous applying local anesthetic to help with pain control after surgery #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSL00pqGlW/
- Dr Backous verifying final details before beginning operation #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSLH44KGk_/
- Patient draped now time for the safety pause #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSM8oBKGmP/
- Safety pause - safety checklist shown here: instagr.am/p/QSNFeaqGmU/ #SwedishHear
- #SwedishHear Did u know? We do everything poss. to not alter lifestyle. Shaving hair not necessary 4 cochlear implants instagr.am/p/QSMHvLqGlk/
- Creating a pocket for the cochlear implant #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSOJENqGnM/
- Now drilling to reach the inner ear before placing the implant #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSOkIsKGnq/
- Space has now been created for the body of the implant #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSPDTcKGn-/
- (A big thank you to the amazing surgical team in here that's helping us share info with you! #SwedishHear)
- Warning: some of the following images may be graphic. Viewer discretion advised.
- Finishing mastoidectomy, opening facial recess into the middle ear #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSPnrtKGoT/
- Graphic: here is the facial nerve, cochlear implant will go behind this #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSP6dKKGoe/
- @Swedish - are you just using your mobile phone for tweeting/instragram of today's procedure? #swedishhear
- . @CarrieSHall we are using multiple phones to capture, but yes, just phones! #SwedishHear
- Preparing to open the cochlea, pointed at here #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSQuWjKGoz/
- Drilling into the cochela while looking through the scope #SwedishHear instagr.am/p/QSRBPCqGo9/
Mr. Day looking at the live Twitter feed and Instagrammed photos from the lobby #SwedishHear http://pic.twitter.com/60CP6wzX- Irrigating before placing the cochlear implant #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSRU9gqGpF/
- Amazing tech, you can barely see the electrode, thin as a hair. Preparing to insert #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSRp9lqGpb/
- Cochlear implant electrode going into the cochlea #SwedishHear instagr.am/p/QSR1FxqGpj/
- Similar photo, different step! The cochlear implant electrode has been placed! #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSR_TwKGpq/
- Washing the wound with antibiotics now that the implant is placed. #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSSS_oqGpw/
- Closing the wound, stitches under the skin, none on surface. Adhesive is used instead. #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSSnSQKGp1/
@Swedish #thankyou for sharing this surgery worldwide! #awareness of #cochlearimplant is important! Supporting from #panama- Surgery finished. You can hardly see the 3cm incision. #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSTwHkqGqY/
- Dr. Backous is filling out the paperwork to register her device with the company & the FDA while we wait for the xray. #SwedishHear
- Cochlear implant registered card, to be carried wherever she goes #SwedishHear instagr.am/p/QSUrzpqGrE/
- We're getting an Xray to make sure the electrode is in the inner ear in the right place. #SwedishHear
- After surgery an X-ray is taken to confirm the procedure was a success. Can you see the electrode? #swedishh instagr.am/p/QSU1coqGrI/
- Phone call to her family, "Could you please tell Eleanor's family that everything went great!" instagr.am/p/QSVKv1qGrY/
- We've left the OR with Mrs. Day and are in the PACU as she begins to wake. #swedishhear
@Swedish Thanks to Mr & Mrs Day for participating & you for sharing - it's been an amazing priviledge to be part of it! #SwedishHear- Mrs Day now in recovery, Dr Backous here checking on her status #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSWb6QqGsE/
- Now for the good part - Dr. Backous letting Mr. Day know his wife's surgery was a success. #swedishhear instagr.am/p/QSZIAZKGtt/
- Thank you to everyone who joined or watched parts of #SwedishHear! We may post another picture or two, but the surgery is complete.
- Thank you to everyone who joined us for the live-tweeted and Instagrammed surgery today!
We hope you'll join us next Wednesday on October 10, 2012 at 10am PT or 6pm PT for a live text chat to ask questions about hearing loss and cochlear implants to Dr. Backous, Stacey Watson (one of Swedish's audiologists), patients who have had cochlear implants, and others.
To participate in the live chat on October 10, visit this page (www.swedish.org/swedishhear): 
Swedish Medical Center Seattle - Cochlear Implant and Hearing Loss Web SeriesSwedish Cochlear Implant & Hearing Loss Web Series What is it like to have hearing loss? And is there anything that can be done for those...- Here are some of the videos from the entire cochlear implant and hearing loss series:
- Here are some additional blog posts and resources on cochlear implants and hearing loss:
- One size does not fit all - our audiologist blogs about the different kinds of implants for hearing loss: bit.ly/MEpAqB
- A recent study in the Lancet suggests ppl who are hard of hearing have worse healthcare.Why? And what can you do? Tips: bit.ly/R10zGP
- Are your kids too young for a hearing test? No - and there are different tests for different ages: bit.ly/MU54eZ
- Your portable music player (phones, etc.) can produce volume nearing the sound of a jet plane taking off - yikes! bit.ly/kesuGn
- If you have other questions about hearing loss or cochlear implants, join us on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at www.swedish.org/swedishhear at 10am or 6pm PT to ask our audiologists, surgeon, or patients. If you see this after the fact, you can tweet us @Swedish and we'll do our best to get your question answered or connect you to the best resource for more information!
