CI SURGERY
Cochlear implantation is a routine surgery that lasts around two hours on average. It is performed in specialized ENT hospitals.
Cochlear implantation is a routine surgery that lasts around two hours on average. It is performed in specialized ENT hospitals.
Every implant center follows its own procedures for cochlear implantation, but the basic steps are the same everywhere.
Cochlear implants electronically stimulate the hearing nerve, whereas hearing aids only amplify sound. The brain has to adapt to this new way of hearing. A speech therapist assists cochlear implant users in learning to hear again. This process may take some time, depending on the duration and degree of hearing loss.
The first fitting usually takes place two to five weeks after surgery, depending on the implant center and the type of implant. The audio processor is activated and connected to the implant for the first time. An audiologist plays a series of sounds and fits the audio processor, making sure that these sounds are neither too soft nor too loud for the user in babies and toddlers, the audiologist observes their reaction to the sounds.
The map (settings) of your cochlear implant is adapted in the course of follow-up fitting sessions. This is an important step, as your hearing will improve with rehabilitation and your hearing experience. Usually, follow-up fitting sessions take place after one, three, six and twelve months. After that, you are invited to follow-up visits once a year.
Several thousand hearing implant surgeries are performed worldwide every year. They are considered routine surgeries and are associated with low risks and few complications. Your CI team (surgeon, anaesthesist) will discuss your individual risks with you in detail before surgery.
Cochlear implant surgery takes around two hours.
In general, patients in the UK leave hospital within two nights, and sometimes on the same day. How long you/your child will need to stay will depend on several factors, including your general health. Follow up care is required, which is necessary after any surgery. Although the hospital stay is usually short, sick leave is recommended after surgery. Its length depends on your job and whether it is physically challenging.
Although most normal activities can be resumed soon after surgery, there are some general restrictions:
It’s a good idea to warn your family and friends that you won’t be able to hear right away after the operation, and that even after the audio processor is switched on, you will be starting a journey of rehabilitation.
Your CI team will answer any medical questions you may have on surgery. Our HearPeers Mentors are happy to share their personal experiences first-hand with you.