Cochlear Implants By: Victor J. Gabbidon

Purpose A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of hearing in the hearing impaired. Not to be confused with hearing aids which simply amplify sound for those hard of hearing. Cochlear implants work to replicate the natural processes of the ear.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss Designed for patients with sensorineural hearing loss. Caused by abnormalities or lack of quantity in the hair cells of the cochlea. The implant serves as a makeshift cochlea by bypassing the patients improperly functioning cochlea.

Design The design of a cochlear implant is composed of 3 main parts: A sound processor, a transmitter, and an internal receptor with electrode wires. Of the 3 major components, only one is actually implanted internally.

Implantation The implantation of the internal portion of the device is a relatively simple procedure that can be done under general anesthesia. A small incision is made behind the ear and the device is implanted on the skull.

Functionality Sound processor picks up through microphone and converts it to digital code. Code is transmitted to internal receptor through transmitter that is connected magnetically to internal implant. Implant converts code to electrical signal which is then sent by electrodes to cochlea’s hearing nerve.

Disadvantages In order for the device to be implanted residual hair cells in the cochlea must be destroyed. Procedure essentially irreversible in terms of having the same hearing capacity as before the procedure. For this reason cochlear implants are typically only implanted on one ear

The Future of Hearing Technology Esteem®: Has the ability to restore hearing in patients that are legally deaf. The device has no external components and is a more atheistic alternative to traditional implants.

Sources hlear_implanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant#Parts_of_the_coc hlear_implant mhttp:// m