What is done for patients by caregivers post cochlear implant surgery?
It takes time for the wound to heal. Generally, after 2 weeks, the cochlear implant devices are switched on where a child will be able to hear for the first time in his/her life with mapping and programming of the device.
Subsequently, the patient undergoes Aural habilitation / AVT to achieve listening and spoken language.
What are bone conduction implants?
Bone conduction implants are devices which are used in children with poor development of outer ear/ absent pinna and or external auditory canal with normal inner ear function
This is also used in adults with chronic discharging ears where surgical reconstruction no more benefits and also in single sided deafness.
When is the early age that a child can have an implant?
A child can be implanted by an 8 or 9 months based on the size of the skull, provided the child has been diagnosed early and radiologically tested.
What is Minimally Invasive trans canal Cochlear implant Surgery?
This Technique of Cochlear Implant Surgery is also called as Veria technique Trans canal cochlear implant surgery. This involves Minimal Drilling of Mastoid Bone. There is a tunnel drilled preserving the mastoid bone. This Tunnel is used to insert the electrode into the Cochlea. The current developing Robotic cochlear Implant surgery is based on this technique.
Are Cochlear implants done for all age groups?
Yes, Cochlear implants can be done for all age groups. For kids, implants should be done within 1 or 2 years of age with good post-operative care and therapy to achieve normal speech and hearing results.
What are the components of a cochlear implant?
One of the devices that can be implanted surgically and another one is a sound processor which is connected to the inner device via magnet. Cochlear Implant device perform the function of cochlea by converting sound signals into Electical signals ( 50,000- 80,000 signals per second).
What are Hearing implants? Who needs them?
Hearing Implants are cochlear implants / bone conduction Implants, vibrant sound bridge or active middle ear implants and passive middle ear Implants. Based on the hearing of the patient treatment can be planned with a specific implantable solution.
