The cochlear implant consists of a surgically implanted component and an external component. The implanted part includes a small electronic circuit surgically placed on the skull behind the ear with a small wire threaded directly into the cochlea. The external part includes a headpiece and a small unit containing a microphone and speech processor, which is worn behind the ear in older children or on a belt in younger children. Sound is converted from an acoustic signal to an electrical signal and transmitted directly to the components, which in turn stimulate the auditory nerve of the brain.
By implanting a computerized device into the inner ear, functional hearing can be restored to patients who do not benefit from traditional hearing aids. A cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing, however, it has enabled many with severe to profound hearing loss to experience sound for the first time. Ongoing programming, communication, assessment, and therapy provide information to the patient and team about the patient’s needs.
