Cochlear Implant

What is a Cochlear Implant?

A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that replaces the function of the damaged inner ear. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, cochlear implants do the work of damaged parts of the inner ear (cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain.

Who is it useful for?

A cochlear implant may be beneficial to people who:

Those who have moderate to severe hearing impairment in both ears, those who see little or no benefit from hearing aids, those who cannot make any progress in speaking by using hearing aids, those who score 50% or lower in the sentence perception tests performed by hearing specialists in the ear to be implanted, those who receive hearing aids in the ear without implants or hearing aids. Those who score 60% or lower on sentence perception tests performed by audiologists in both ears where the device is used. Many people use cochlear implants in both ears (bilateral). Listening with two ears can improve your ability to detect the direction of sound and distinguish the sounds you want to hear from those you don't.

How do they work?

A Cochlear Implant is an electronic device designed to help those with severe to profound hearing loss who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids. The Cochlear Implant system converts daily sounds into encrypted electrical stimulations. Stimulations stimulate the auditory nerve and the brain perceives them as sound.

A Cochlear Implant system consists of two parts:

The inner part placed by operation - Implant, the outer part called Speech Processor Who Can Benefit from Cochlear Implant?

Children and adults with congenital or acquired hearing loss can effectively benefit from Cochlear Implants. Although it is not possible to predict how much benefit will be gained from Cochlear Implant, the following considerations are broadly valid.

Children with congenital hearing loss gain the greatest benefit if they receive Cochlear Implant surgery before the age of 5, especially before the age of 2. Those who lose their hearing later and still retain their speech and language memory can benefit more from Cochlear Implants. The longer you have lived with severe hearing loss, the less likely you will benefit from the implant.