A cochlear implant is a medical electronic device designed to bypass damaged parts of the inner ear by directly stimulating the auditory nerve fibres.
Cochlear implants consist of two components – an internal receiver-stimulator implant and an external speech processor. The internal implant is positioned under the skin, secured in the bone behind the ear via a surgical procedure. The external component is worn behind the ear via a magnet.
Cochlear implants may be implanted in one ear or both ears in patients not benefiting from appropriately fitted hearing aids, depending on each patient’s needs.
This includes patients:
Preparing for a cochlear implant involves several steps to ensure the procedure's success and a smooth recovery.
Surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and takes between two to four hours.
The doctor will make an incision in the skin behind your ear where the implant will be placed. He or she will create a space in the bone behind your ear (the mastoid) and create a tunnel into the hearing organ (the cochlea).
The electrode will be inserted into the cochlea, and the doctor will then close the incision and apply a head bandage.
Patients typically stay overnight in the hospital and the head bandage is removed before the patient returns home the next day.
The cochlear implant will be switched on about 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery. It has to be programmed by the audiologist before it can work. The implant needs to be programmed periodically to maximise the speech sounds that can be heard by the individual (e.g., how loud or how natural the sounds are perceived).
A period of rehabilitation is also required, especially in children, to gain the maximum benefits from listening through the implant. Users will undergo sessions where they are taught exercises to practice with their implant to ensure a better hearing experience.
Cochlear implants offer significant benefits, but they also have certain limitations that users should consider.
Speak to your doctor to understand more.
While cochlear implants are generally safe, they come with certain risks and safety concerns. Although these risks are extremely rare, potential users should be aware of:
For more information, consult with our doctor for a personal recommendation.
Cochlear implants are recommended for individuals with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears, who receive limited benefit from hearing aids. Eligibility is determined by factors such as age, overall health, speech scores and the condition of the auditory nerve, as assessed by a specialist.
Cochlear implants do not replicate natural hearing but provide a direct stimulation to the auditory nerve to help users understand speech and environmental noises better than if they were using hearing aids alone. The quality of sound is different from natural hearing but often improves with auditory training and adaptation.
Cochlear implants. (n.d.). https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/cochlear-implant/
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Cochlear Implant: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007203.htm
Cochlear Implant Surgery and rehabilitation. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024, August 13). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/cochlear-implant-surgery
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Cochlear implants. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/cochlear-implants
The information provided is not intended as medical advice. Terms of use. Information provided by SingHealth.
Department
Hearing and Ear Implants
Department
Otolaryngology (ENT)
Department
Otorhinolaryngology - Head &Neck Surgery
Department
Rehabilitiative Services
Department
Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery
Department
Speech Therapy
Department
Otolaryngology (ENT)
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