Cochlear Implants

A. A cochlear implant (CI) differs from traditional acoustical amplification in that it bypasses the damaged inner ear or cochlea that is the likely cause of hearing loss, providing electrical impulses directly to the hearing nerve and then to the brain.
In a normally functioning ear, sound is transmitted through the ear canal, which causes the tympanic membrane (eardrum) to vibrate. This vibration causes the bones of the middle ear to move, which moves fluid in the cochlea (inner ear hearing organ). The movement of this fluid stimulates specialized hair cells within the cochlea to send the sound to the auditory nerve. Most cases of sensorineural hearing loss are due to the damage or absence of these specialized hair cells. A cochlear implant replaces the function of the damaged sensory hair cells to help provide patients with clearer overall hearing.

A. Any person who is struggling with communication despite properly fit hearing aids might be a candidate for a cochlear implant. This may include patients with:

• Substantial sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss in both ears
• Those who have little or no benefit with appropriately fit hearing aids
• Those who have a clear understanding of cochlear implantation and typical results
• Those who are committed to the rehabilitation process and follow-up appointment

A. A cochlear implant is an outpatient (go home the same day) surgery for most people. It is safe and rarely has complications. The surgery on average takes around 1 hour to perform. We recommend that patients avoid strenuous activity for around 1 week after their implant. After this, patients can return to their normal daily life.
Many patients ask if they will have improved hearing immediately after the surgery, but unfortunately this isn’t the case. People will often hear worse out of that ear initially, as we don’t turn the implant on for a few weeks.

A. The cochlear implant will be activated (turned on) a few weeks (2-4) following surgery. The surgeon will ensure the patient is healing well. After this, the patient will work closely with their audiologist to have the cochlear implant adjusted to the best settings that support hearing. They may also work with other specialists if needed, such as speech language therapists. These therapies will help the cochlear implant to function at its best.
Patients will experience most of their improvement during the first few months after activation. However, hearing with the cochlear implant will continue to improve beyond this period.

A. Patients describe the sound of a cochlear implant as very different at first. Some say it sounds cartoonish or mechanical. This almost always improves over time, and most will experience significant improvement in their communication.