What is a Cochlear Implant?
A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing in both ears. Cochlear implants bypass the normal hearing process; they have a microphone and some electronics that reside outside the skin, generally behind the ear, which transmits a signal to an array of electrodes placed in the cochlea, which stimulate the cochlear nerve.
Cochlear implants have two parts-
- External (outside) parts that include a microphone, a speech processor, and a transmitter.
- Internal (surgically implanted) parts - a receiver-stimulating system fixed to the skull bone behind the ear and electrodes which are inserted into the cochlea.
It is important to note that a cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead, it provides a deaf person with a useful representation of sounds in the environment to help him or her understand them.
Who is an eligible candidate for Cochlear Implantation Programme?
It is important to note that a cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead, it provides a deaf person with a useful representation of sounds in the environment to help him or her understand them.
- Adults who have acquired speech but have become deaf secondary due to injury, illness or ototoxicity.
- The deafness must be of sensorineural type (i.e. a hearing impairment of the inner ear resulting from damage to the sensory hair cells or to the nerves that supply the inner ear) affecting both the ears and the hearing aid must have been used (adults) for a period of 3 - 6 months with very little or no help.
- Having a functioning auditory nerve.
- Having no medical reason to avoid surgery.
- Congenital deaf children with speech disability.
- Children who have acquired some speech then lose the sense of hearing following head injury, viral illness or meningitis etc.
How does a Cochlear Implant Work?
Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are sent by way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognizes the signals as sound. Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn. However, it allows many people to recognize warning signals, understand other sounds in the environment, and go to a regular school and enjoy a conversation in person or by telephone.
Comprehensive Cochlear Implantation Program at HealthTripToIndia affiliated Indian Super Speciality Hospitals and have highly specialized and fully trained multidisciplinary team of medical professionals which consists of:
- ENT surgical team
- Neuro psychologist
- Cosmetic Smile Designing
- Audiologist
- Speech Therapist
- Paediatrician
Before the Cochlear Implant Surgery
There are various factors that need to be taken into consideration prior to cochlear implantation. Patients who may be candidates for cochlear implantation would have met with their audiologist and ENT(Hearing implant) Surgeon and the team would decide the best option for the candidate.
- Audiological assessment and trial with hearing aids. To assess the severity of the hearing loss, level of speech and language.
- CT and MRI Imaging - Complete scanning would be done of the ears and brain. We need to see the structure of the ears and the condition of the inner ear and hearing nerves.
Medical Check up including preoperative blood tests.
- Patients would also be seen by a physician or paediatrician (in the cases of children) and vaccinated to reduce the risk of infections.
- Latest Gum Graft material for Gum Recessions.
- Digital X-rays, which requires one-tenth of x-ray exposure time and reduce the radiation to which patients are exposed by 95% when compared with conventional film.
- Intraoral-Digital Cameras to show the patients the images of their teeth.
you get a free and complete step by step guidance on Medical travel for your Cochlear Implant Surgery in India.
Cochlear Implant Surgery
Cochlear implant surgery lasts about two hours and is performed while the patient is under general anaesthesia. The electrode array is inserted into the cochlea. The receiver/stimulator is secured to the skull. Typically, patients remain in the hospital for two nights. They have a bandage on their head which is removed after four days. Patients return to school or work as soon as they feel well enough to do so, usually within a week of surgery.
Switching on the implant
Activation of the implant takes place two to three weeks after implantation, allowing enough time for the incision to heal properly. Following this the implant is 'programmed' or 'mapped'. Mapping is done on a regular basis during postoperative rehabilitation to fine-tune the processor and get the best performance as the patient gets used to hearing with the implant.
Post Operative Rehabilitation Program
Cochlear Implantation Programme begins with the surgical implantation of the device. There is an extensive period of post operative rehabilitation. This is a very crucial period where the patient, parents (of the patient), audiologist, speech therapist and our team of Junior and Senior ENT Surgeons work together in rehabilitating the hearing deprived patient to sound and speech.
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