COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
What is a Cochlear Implant?
A cochlear implant is a medical device designed to restore the sense of hearing in patients who have severe to profound sensorineural (inner ear and hearing nerve) hearing loss. It directly stimulates the cochlear nerve, bypassing the external ear, middle ear, inner ear, and the damaged hair cells.
How Does a Cochlear Implant Work?
A cochlear implant system consists of a microphone, a signal processor, a signal coupler (transmitter and receiver), and an electrode array. The microphone and signal processor are worn outside the body.
Cochlear implantation involves surgical placement of the internal portion of the device into the patient. The internal receiver is placed under the skin behind the ear, and the electrode array is placed into the inner ear during a one- to two-hour operation. After healing, the patient is given the external component to wear. A magnet holds the transmitter over the surgically implanted internal receiver. A thin cord connects the microphone to the transmitter and to the speech processor.
Once programmed, the external speech processor captures sound and converts it into a digital signal. The processor sends the digital signal to the internal implant, which then converts the digital signal into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is transmitted via the electrode array inside the cochlea, and the auditory nerve is then stimulated to carry sound to the brain.
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Who Will Benefit from a Cochlear Implant?
A cochlear implant device is an excellent alternative to conventional hearing aids when they are no longer providing adequate benefit to patients with severe to profound hearing loss. Candidacy criteria for a cochlear implant has broadened in recent years, so many people who previously were not considered candidates are now receiving cochlear implants with successful results. Implantation may be done for both ears, either simultaneously during the same surgery, or sequentially.
What is the Evaluation Process to Determine Suitable Candidacy?
A team of professionals conducts an extensive evaluation to determine if an individual is a suitable candidate for a cochlear implant.
The cochlear implant candidacy evaluation includes:
- An audiological evaluation by an audiologist.
- A medical evaluation by an otologist.
- A radiological evaluation, which includes CT and/or MRI scanning.
- For children: Educational, psychological, and speech and language evaluation.
Our Office Offers Implantation of All FDA-Approved Devices
The office of Dr. Jennifer Maw is unique in the Bay Area in that it offers implantation of all three FDA-approved cochlear implant devices. You are counseled regarding the individual features of the three devices. You have the opportunity to choose which device you would prefer although we make recommendations based on your particular situation.
The three leading manufacturers in the cochlear implant industry are:
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