Cochlear Implants
A cochlear implant is a tiny electronic device surgically inserted into the ear to help a deaf person regain his or her sense of hearing.
Also referred to as a bionic ear, nearly 200,000 people from around the world have had themselves fitted with this device in the United States. Owing to its high cost however, most patients who have cochlear implants are from developed countries.
A cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing, but it can give a deaf person a useful representation of ambient sound that helps him or her to understand speech.
What is the difference between cochlear implants and hearing aids?
The main difference between a cochlear implant and a hearing aid is that the implant bypasses damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve. The hearing aid, on the other hand, simply amplifies ambient sound.
Hearing through a cochlear implants is more direct because the sound does not have to go through amplification as with a hearing aid. The signals are sent directly to the auditory nerve and then to the brain.
Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn. On the other hand, it allows many people to recognize warning signals, discern sounds in the environment and enjoy face-to-face conversation or communicating by telephone.
What are the parts of a cochlear implant?
Just like a hearing aid, a cochlear implant is made up of several parts, although it is relatively smaller. The device basically consists of an external portion that is placed behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed beneath the skin.
Its parts include:
The microphone, which collects ambient sound
A speech processor, which filters the useful sounds picked up by the microphone and arranges them
A transmitter and receiver/stimulator, which receive signals from the speech processor and converts them into electrical impulses
An electrode array that collects the impulses from the stimulator and sends them to different regions of the auditory nerve
Who can be fitted with implants?
Both children and adults can be fitted with cochlear implants. In the US, roughly 41,500 adults and 25,500 children have received them.
Adults who are totally deaf or have lost most of their hearing later in life often can benefit from cochlear implants. In most cases, they can easily adapt to hearing through implants as they learn to associate the signal provided by an implant to sounds they remember.
The use of cochlear implants for toddlers and children is a different matter, however. Not everyone is a candidate to receive one. Toddlers 12 months of age or older with profound bilateral hearing loss are excellent candidates, but not every child is suitable.
Here are some reasons why not very child may not be a candidate for a cochlear implant:
The child’s hearing may be good enough to use just hearing aids instead of implants.
The reason for hearing loss is not related to a problem in the cochlea.
When the child has experienced profound deafness for a long period of time.
When the hearing nerve itself is damaged or is not present. Every candidate for cochlear implant will have to be evaluated by a team of experts to determine whether a cochlear implant is the best option.
Is it safe?
Surgical implantations are generally safe, although just as in any surgery, complications are a risk factor, such as rejection.
What happens after the procedure?
Fitting a cochlear implant is just one part of the treatment. Another important aspect, especially for young patients, is teaching them how to use the device to acquire speech, language and social skills. According to studies, the ages of between 2 to 6 years are the bracket where most of the young patients fitted with cochlear implants belong.
During therapy, the patient will be taught to interpret the sounds created by an implant. This process takes considerable time and practice. In most cases, the therapy process is a group effort that involves speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
