Who is a Cochlear Implant Candidate?

The cochlear implant is designed for individuals with a severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, and who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids. Although cochlear candidacy may start at birth, individuals must be 12 months of age or older before surgery is performed. Becoming a cochlear implant patient involves an extensive evaluation and may include the following:

• Ear (otologic) evaluation
• Hearing (audiologic) evaluation
• Speech/Language evaluation
• CT Scan (radiographic) evaluation
• Physical evaluation
• 3-6 month trial with appropriately fit hearing aids

What Is a Cochlear Implant?

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that provides partial hearing to the deaf. An electrode array is surgically implanted in the inner ear and receives auditory information from the external device.

How Does the Cochlear Implant Work?

The cochlear implant bypasses the damaged or missing sensory structures of the inner ear to stimulate the auditory nerve directly with an electrical equivalent of the sound signal. The speech processor translates the sound into distinctive electrical signals. These "codes" travel to the headpiece and are transmitted across the skin to the implanted electrodes in the cochlea.

A Processor  B Headpiece  C Implant  D Electrode

Cochlear Implant Surgery

Cochlear implant surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Through an incision behind the ear, the bone (mastoid bone) is opened to gain access to the cochlea. The thin wire (electrode array) of the internal unit is inserted into the cochlea. The receiver/stimulator is secured in a shallow bed surgically created in the mastoid bone. The procedure takes approximately two hours. Surgery is typically performed at the outpatient Medical Plaza Surgery Center at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center.

Cost

Like any sophisticated medical device, cochlear implants are expensive, but many insurance carriers provide full or partial coverage for cochlear implantation. The expenses include the device, the surgeon’s charges, anesthesia, and outpatient surgical facility charges. Our clinic’s Insurance Case Manager can help determine an individual's coverage, and discuss the costs involved.

Mapping or Programming

Four weeks after surgery, patients return to the implant center to begin the process of fitting the outer portion of the device. This process begins with the Audiologist programming the speech processor to meet the individual’s hearing needs. The number and programming appointments will vary from patient to patient. For children, learning language as well as learning to process sound requires more appointments. Every effort is made to work with the school teacher and other professionals working with the child. In-service training regarding the implant and participation in the child’s IFSP and IEP meetings are available through our clinic’s HELP program.

The Hearing Enrichment Language Program (HELP) is a integral part of the Cochlear Implant Clinic. The HELP staff is dedicated to providing cochlear implant (re)habilitation and teaching individuals with hearing loss to communicate to the very best of their abilities using either a multi-sensory or auditory-verbal approach.  HELP services brings hope and options to children with severe or greater hearing loss and their families.