What is a cochlear implant? A cochlear implant is an electronic device, which aids hearing in people with profound or total deafness in both ears. It is based on the principle of electric stimulation of the auditory nerve to compensate for the deficiency in the inner ear (cochlea). When hearing is unimpaired, the cochlea’s role is to convert the sounds transmitted by the eardrum and the ear bones into electric signals, which are sent to the brain along the auditory nerve. A cochlear implant system is made up of two main parts. The external part processes the signal picked up by a microphone in the form of an ear contour and an implant or receiver receives the signal from the outside by electromagnetic coupling passing it on to be processed by the brain. How do I know if I am eligible for a cochlear implant? The cochlear implant is recommended for people with profound or total deafness in both ears, and for whom hearing devices have not produced sufficient speech intelligibility. A pre-implant assessment has to be made in order to ensure that the future cochlear implant will be effective. This assessment consists of a series of tests: hearing loss level, condition of the ears, an assessment of the auditory nerve, the motivation of the patient and their family support, communication skills, etc. When all of these tests have been carried out, the medical team will meet to decide whether the patient is likely to benefit from a cochlear implant. What do I have to do? It is important to directly consult an ENT surgeon in an implant centre. You may contact Neurelec who will give you the details of centres near to your home. What does the implant cost? The cost of the implant, the operation and the numerous appointments for adjustment are covered in part or entirely by the hospital and the public health insurance. As with all new medical technology, the cochlear implant is very expensive. The total cost (implant, surgery, etc.) is estimated at an average of 32 000 €. The day to day cost of maintaining the implant are often the responsibility of the patient (batteries, cables, antenna), but it may be possible for some of the cost to be reimbursed. Your surgeon and Neurelec will be able to give you more information concerning the different possibilities. Should I wait for new technological improvements? It is strongly advised not to wait once the team have decided in your favour. In the case of children, experience has clearly shown that an early implant is decisive for the child to benefit most from a cochlear implant.  With ongoing software improvements, it is possible to benefit regularly from the latest developments in Digisonic’s sound signal processing. Are there any risks involved in having this surgery? The operation is carried out under general anaesthetic and lasts for between 2 and 4 hours requiring a stay in hospital of a few days. The  risk is the same as any operation carried out under general anaesthetic, and complications are very rare. Is it possible to hear straight after the implant? It usually takes about a month for the operation wounds to heal. The first adjustment of the external part takes place at the end of this period. It is a very emotional moment when a person discovers or rediscovers the world of sound. During this appointment, they will be able to hear sounds, but will not yet be able to distinguish between background noise and speech. What are the first sounds to be heard? Impressions vary enormously from one person to another. Generally, people having received implants describe the sounds as synthetic or metallic. Others have a very good overall impression. However, the perception of sound evolves over time and finally becomes natural over several weeks. What happens after the implant? Following the implant, there is a re-education programme including readjustment sessions and auditory re-education in order to get used to the implant. This re-education will be long and complicated for children born deaf, or who lost their hearing before starting to learn to talk or for adults who have been deaf for a long time. It will be shorter for adults having recently lost their hearing. How long should wear the implant each day? It is important to wear the implant as regularly as possible and as long as possible. The brain must learn or relearn to decode this new sound message and the progress depends very much on the motivation of the person with the implant. When background noise becomes to loud, it is advised to use the processor’s second programme rather than remove the device. Should I try to stop lipreading? Many people with implants are able to understand speech without lipreading. However, this may help to improve comprehension. Should I continue to wear the hearing aid in the other ear? The user is the only one who can judge whether it is worthwhile wearing the hearing device in the other ear in conjunction with the implant. Some people do not think it necessary to use the device, while others consider it to be a supplementary aid. A period of adaptation is however necessary because the sounds provided by the implant are different from the natural sounds picked up by the other partially hearing ear. How long do I have to wait before feeling the first benefits? The performance of persons with implants may differ enormously and depends on a number of factors such as the aetiology of the deafness, the condition of the auditory nerve, particularly when undergoing a re-education programme (adjustment and auditory re-education). However, the benefits brought by the cochlear implant are noticeable a few months after the implant and keep improving until a plateau is reached. From this moment, the patient has the impression that no more progress is being made or even that there is some deterioration. The progress is just taking place more slowly and is therefore less noticeable, but it will continue for several years. What is the lifespan of a cochlear implant? The Digisonic®SP cochlear implant is meant to last for life. A guarantee of 10 years is given for the implanted part.  It may however arise that an internal part becomes damaged following an injury or if it stops working. The device then has to be changed and another operation is necessary. These cases are very rare. Is it necessary to insure my cochlear implant? It is strongly recommended to draw up an insurance policy for the complete system.  Some insurance companies offer the possibility of special cochlear implant insurance policies. This policy covers damage to the entire device (internal and external parts) and insures the system against theft, loss, accident... Is it possible to take part in any sport? The external part must not come in contact with water. The device must therefore be removed  before bathing. Some sports may be dangerous for the external part of the implant, so it is advised to take certain precautions or avoid all activities liable to cause a blow to the head. The cochlear implant does not present any other risks besides these particular cases.