Cochlear implants operations are conducted in large University hospitals and some specialised ENT clinics.

A multidisciplinary team carries out a pre-operative study to ascertain the viability of the future cochlear implant. This team is usually made up of an ENT surgeon, an audiologist responsible for adapting the implant and a speech therapist for post-operative re-education.

This study requires various checks to be conducted: 

Audiometric assessment: the audiologist tests the hearing with and without a hearing aid in order to assess the level of deafness. They also carry out perception hearing tests, and in particular those for speech

Medical check up: it is necessary to assess the condition of the ears using a CT scan and MRI in order to determine the feasibility of the surgical intervention and the side to implant.

Electrophysiological test: it is important  to make sure that the auditory nerve which transmits the information to the brain is intact

Speech therapy assessment: the speech therapist assesses the patient’s skills in communication, and his/her aptitude for lipreading. They also assess the level of development in children

Psychological tests: the psychologist determines the motivation of the patient and their family support, the desire to pursue the re-education programme and whether their expectations are realistic in relation to the results hoped for.

When all of these checks have been performed, the medical team will meet to decide if the patient is likely to benefit from a cochlear implant and the final decision will be made with parents or the family.