A cochlear implant, or a bionic ear, is an electronic device that is surgically implanted into a person’s ear to improve hearing. Individual who are extremely hard of hearing and deaf are usually candidates for such an implant. A cochlear implant is not to be confused with a hearing aid, as it works to stimulate auditory nerves in the cochlea rather than amplify sounds.

Individuals who have gone only a short amount of time with a hearing loss, have functioning auditory nerves, and have overall strong speech and language skills make ideal candidates for cochlear implant procedures. There are roughly four major parts to the implant which are: microphone, transmitter, speech processor and receiver.

Procedure information
Patients receiving a cochlear implant are usually placed under general anesthetic prior to the procedure. A small area of the scalp must be shaved from behind the ear to enable the surgeon to drill a hole in the mastoid bone in order to reach the cochlea. The implant is then inserted into the cochlea and the incision closed. The procedure can last anywhere from 1 hour, 30 minutes to 5 hours.

Recovery time
Healing and recovery time are quite different for adults and children after a cochlear. It is common for patients to remain under hospital care for up to two days after the procedure while others are able to go home the day of the surgery. It usually takes roughly one to four weeks for physical recovery.

The brain must learn to adapt to newly transmitted sounds and vibrations so typically there are no immediate results. Speech therapy will be an ongoing task for many years in congenital deaf cases. Speech therapy and development are considered to the most essential elements of recovery after a cochlear implant. While the implant ultimately does not cure deafness, its function is to act as a substitution for hearing.