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Cochlear Implants 101: Commonly Asked Questions

Wellness

Hearing aids help the majority of people with mild-to-severe hearing loss, but unfortunately they cannot help everyone. For many people who have severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss ("nerve deafness") in both ears, even the most advanced and powerful hearing aids may not adequately help. In such cases, cochlear implants can be helpful and are being used by people of all ages with severe and profound hearing loss who no longer benefit from hearing aids. Texas Children’s Hospital Cochlear Implant team performed 49 implant surgeries in 2013. In order to bring a better understanding of cochlear implants, we are addressing some of the most commonly asked questions:

 What are cochlear implants? 

Cochlear implants consist of both an internal and an external component. The internal component is surgically inserted under the skin behind the ear to be implanted, and a narrow wire (the electrode array) is threaded into the cochlea. The external component, which looks somewhat like a behind-the-ear hearing aid, connects to the internal component via a magnetic disk also known as coil or headpiece.

Who is a candidate for a cochlear implant? 

The FDA has set the following guidelines: Children ages 12-24 months old with profound SNHL, Children 2-17 years old with sever-to-profound SNHL and adults 18 years and up with moderate-to-profound SNHL. All ages must demonstrate limited to no benefit from traditional hearing aid use in both ears. 

How do you become a candidate for a cochlear implant? 

Patients must undergo a series of medical and audiological evaluations. At Texas Children’s we offer a multidisciplinary team approach to cochlear implantation. The team consists of the following disciplines: Audiology, Speech Language and Learning, Opthalmology, Neuropsychology, Otology, Genetics, and other disciplines as indicated by the surgeon, such as Cardiology. Once the child has gone through the team assessments, a team decision will be made whether to implant the child or not. The parents will be informed of the decision at this point.

What is the most common age of the recipient? 

There is no “most common age” but the earlier a child is implanted the better outcomes they will have. FDA guidelines allows us to implant as young as 12 months. At Texas Children’s we have implanted as young as 8 months of age  for medical reasons and only if approved by insurance. 

How long does a cochlear implant last? Will there ever need to be a replacement? 

The surgically implanted device is meant to last a lifetime. However, there have been some cases in which there has been equipment failure and the device was surgically replaced. Because the technology of the external processing system continues to evolve, at some point in time, the internal technology may not be compatible with the external technology. If this occurs further medical intervention may be needed. 

How long does the surgery last? Recovery period? 

The surgery lasts approximately 2-3 hours. The recovery period can be between 1-4 days depending on the child. The child will be seen two weeks after surgery to follow-up with the Otologist to evaluate the surgery site. 

How many children need cochlear implants? 

In a study completed in 2000, 12,816 children between the ages of 12 months and 6 years old were identified with severe to profound hearing loss. Only about 55% actually received a cochlear implant.

NIDCD- About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or hard-of-hearing. Nine out of every 10 children who are born deaf are born to parents who can hear.

Approximately 188,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants. In the United States, roughly 41,500 adults and 25,500 children have received them – June 16, 2010 (last update)

How do our services compare to other hospitals? 

We take pride in providing a multidisciplinary approach and offer a comprehensive program to evaluate and implant children. We have a team of specialists who are involved in the assessment. We evaluate all aspects of the child to determine realistic outcomes and we place emphasis on the rehabilitation. For more information about Texas Children’s Otolaryngology team, visit texaschildrens.org and also watch this YouTube video spotlighting cochlear implants.