Cochlear Implant

A cochlear implant is a small, highly advanced medical device capable of restoring the sense of hearing in a person whose hearing is impaired. It comprises an external part that lies behind the ear and another part that is surgically introduced beneath the skin.

A cochlear implant consists of a microphone responsible for picking up sounds from the environment, a speech processor that arranges the picked up sounds, a transmitter, and a receiver or stimulator to receive signals from the speech processor and change those into electrical impulses. It also consists of a number of electrodes responsible for collecting electrical signals from the stimulator and sending them to different auditory nerve regions.

A cochlear implant provides a person with impaired hearing a useful representation of environmental sounds and enables them to understand speech. However, it does not restore normal hearing. It is a great alternative to hearing aids as it does not rely on amplification. Instead, they bypass the non-functioning part of the ear and enable a person to hear by using electrical stimulation.

Before introducing cochlear implants, thorough testing is performed on the patient to evaluate their suitability for the procedure. If found suitable, a surgery is performed. Post surgery the patient is monitored closely, and auditory rehabilitation is provided to ensure that the implant functions properly.