Electrode array

Electrode arrayInternal

receiver

Externalspeech processor

Transmitter

Microphone

5 FirstVillage Dr.Pinehurst, North Carolina 28374

Cochlear Implant

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OverviewThe cochlear implant is an electronic device thatcan provide a sense of sound to a person who isdeaf or profoundly hard-of-hearing. This type ofdevice is very different from a hearing aid, whichserves only to amplify sound. A cochlear implanttransforms sounds into electrical signals andtransmits these signals directly to the auditorynerve of the inner ear, bypassing any damagedstructures in the ear that are impeding normalhearing.

Parts of the DeviceThe cochlear implant uses a combination ofexternal and implanted parts. The two main partsare the external speech processor (which isconnected to a transmitter), and the internalreceiver (which is connected to an electrode array.)

External Speech ProcessorThe external speech processor contains amicrophone (for picking up the sounds that aperson would normally hear) and a speechprocessor (which digitizes these sounds and sendsthem as electrical impulses to the transmitter coil).The transmitter is positioned externally on the scalpabove the receiver. It is held firmly in place with amagnet. The transmitter sends power andprocessed sound impulses via a radio signalthrough the skin to the internal receiver.

Internal ReceiverThe internal receiver is implanted beneath the scalpin a hollowed-out depression created in the mastoidand retromastoid area of the skull. The internalreceiver collects the signals from the transmitterand relays them along a cable to an electrodearray. The electrode array is a tiny coil of electrodesthat is wound inside the spiral-shaped cochlea ofthe inner ear. The array passes the sound impulsesdirectly to the auditory nerve, which carries thesignals into the brain.

Electrode array in cochlea

Auditory nerve

EardrumCochlea

5 FirstVillage Dr.Pinehurst, North Carolina 28374

Cochlear Implant

www.viewmedica.com © 2012 Swarm Interactive. Unauthorizedduplication is strictly forbidden.

Implanting the DeviceCochlear implant surgery, performed under generalanesthesia, typically takes about one hour. Thesurgeon shaves a portion of the hair of the scalpand creates an incision in the skin behind the ear. Asmall depression is created in the bone, forming aspace that will hold and protect the receiver. Thesurgeon then drills through the skull to reach thecochlea of the inner ear, where the electrode arrayis carefully implanted. Once the components aresecurely attached and anchored, the skin is foldedback into place and the incision is closed. Patientstypically return home that same day.

ActivationAfter the procedure, the patient will visit with acochlear implant audiologist to have the implantactivated and calibrated. During the initial activationsession, the patient is fitted with the externalcomponents, which are connected to theaudiologist’s computer. The electrode array ismapped and the processor is adjusted to providesound at a comfortable level. Patients oftendescribe the first sounds of the implant ascartoonish or robotic, but as the brain adjusts to theinput, many patients find that they can sooninterpret a wide range of sounds and speech.

Life With a Cochlear ImplantA cochlear implant will not restore normal hearing,but it can allow a person who is deaf to hear again.Patients with cochlear implants are typically able torecognize individual voices and environmentalsounds, and some may be able to recognize music.Results can vary widely depending on eachpatient’s unique situation.