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Cochlear Implants
by
Cynthia M. Johnson, MA DefinitionA cochlear implant is an electronic device that is implanted during surgery. It helps provide hearing to people who have a certain type of hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is usually caused by damage or a defect in the inner ear. The implants can directly stimulate the auditory nerve to send information to the brain. Cochlear implants have 3 parts:
Reasons for ProcedureCochlear implants provide a sense of sound for adults and children with profound hearing loss. They are designed for people whose hearing does not improve with surgical correction or the use of a hearing aid. Cochlear implants will not restore or create normal hearing. Possible ComplicationsProblems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:
Smoking may raise the risk of problems. What to ExpectPrior to ProcedureThe surgical team may meet with you to talk about:
There is a link between cochlear implants and bacterial meningitis. You should be up to date on pneumococcal, meningococcal, and haemophilus vaccines. AnesthesiaGeneral anesthesia will be used. You will be asleep. Description of ProcedureThere are 2 parts to the procedure:
How Long Will It Take?About 1 and one-half to 2 hours for adults and up to 5 hours for children Will It Hurt?Pain and swelling are common in the first few days. Medicine and home care can help. Average Hospital StaySome people may be able to go home the same day. Other people may need to stay longer. Post-procedure CareAt the Care CenterThe staff may give you pain medicine. During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to lower your risk of infection, such as:
There are also steps you can take to lower your risk of infection, such as:
At HomeIt will take 4 to 6 weeks to fully heal. Physical activity may need to be limited during recovery. You may need to ask for help with daily activities and delay return to work or school for a few weeks. Call Your DoctorCall the doctor if you are not getting better or you have:
If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away. RESOURCES:American Academy of Audiology http://www.audiology.org National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders http://www.nidcd.nih.gov CANADIAN RESOURCES:About Kids Health—The Hospital for Sick Children http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation http://www.ciafonline.org ReferencesCochlear implants. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website. Available at:
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/cochlear-implant. Accessed December 2, 2020. Cochlear implants. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website. Available at: ...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed December 2, 2020. Cochlear implants. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at:
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/implants-and-prosthetics/cochlear-implants. Accessed December 2, 2020. Cochlear implants. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/meniere-disease. Accessed December 2, 2020. Lopez-Escamez JA, Carey J, et al; Classification Committee of the Barany Society, Japan Society for Equilibrium Research, European Academy of Otology and Neurotology (EAONO), Equilibrium Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), Korean Balance Society. Diagnostic criteria for Menière's disease. J Vestib Res. 2015;25(1):1-7. Last reviewed September 2020 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Marcin Chwistek, MD Last Updated: 4/20/2021 | |