The cochlear implant is an electronic device placed surgically within the ear that picks up the sound, with a microphone placed behind the ear and turns it into electrical impulses directly over the nerve of the hearing.
Usually, the cochlear implant is used in patients with profound deafness who do not have sufficient cochlea to use a hearing aid.
Because it is a surgery that can cause major changes in patients' lives, they should be evaluated by psychologists to evaluate expectations about the implant.
Price of cochlear implant
The price of the cochlear implant depends on the type of implant, the location where the surgery will be performed and the brand of the device. However, the average price is around 40 thousand reais.
Photos of the cochlear implant
Bilateral cochlear implant
The bilateral cochlear implant consists of placing an appliance in each ear, allowing better hearing and understanding of the sounds.
Usually, bilateral cochlear implant is indicated for patients with deeper deafness, but it is an alternative that implies greater surgical difficulty and greater associated risks. In this way, the patient should consult his or her otorhinolaryngologist to evaluate the benefits and expectations of placement of a bilateral implant.
Rehabilitation in the cochlear implant
Rehabilitation in the cochlear implant is done by a speech therapist and can last up to 4 years, especially in children who have deafness before the age of 5 years.
Rehabilitation in the cochlear implant is usually used to help the patient decipher the sounds and meaning of words, and their success depends on the time the individual was deaf, the age at which the deafness arose, and the motivation of the patient and family.
Useful links:
- Find out if you can hear again in case of profound deafness
- Know when deafness has a cure
- Learn how to identify if your baby does not listen well.
