Is it worth to cut bone to choose AB over Med-el?

Y

ymhon

New Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Hello everyone,

I'm glad that I'll do the CI surgery next month. And now I need to decide the CI brand. (Only consider AB or Med-el)

I've collected many information in the past weeks from [this site]/ [cochlear implant help] / [AB's forum(HJ)] / [Med-el's forum(HP)], and I think there is few users in Med-el to share their experiences, while AB seems has a great feedback from users.

I'm in Asia, not in US, seems in my country there are more people to use Med-el than AB.

My surgeon have done hundreds of CI surgeries(he did all 3 brands) and seems he likes Med-el and Cochlear more than AB, because AB's implanted magnet is too thick and hard that it will take 1 more hour to cut some of your head bone to put it in and fasten it, while Med-el's implant won't need to cut your bones. (I've touched AB and Med-el's implant in their distributor sides, and that's right that AB's magnet is much more thick and hard.)

This will gain the risk of the surgery. (Though there is no side-effects of his patients before.)

The surgeon do likes AB's processor-Naida better, but he thinks safety is more important. But he let me to take the decision, just think twice.

BTW, in my country we don't have SONNET yet, and we can only get 1 processor unless we spend more money to buy the second one, so my options are:

AB: HiRes 90K Advanced + Naide CI Q70
Med-el: CONCERT + OPUS 2

My question now is:Is it worth to cut bone(gain more surgery risk) to choose AB over Med-el because of Naida's better sound quality? Are they really have a big difference in Word Recognition?

Thanks for helping.
 
Last edited:
Well in the USA, doctors are paid by the procedure, because it takes him an hour longer, he is working for less money. That's an hour less on the golf course. Sounds like a pretty lame excuse for not wanting to use one brand.
However thicker residual skull area would definitely be a valid consideration. As for the device, You will have to wait for comments from those with the device you are interested in to comment. Not sure how warranty works where you live, If broken devices have to be repaired out of your own pocket and you don't get qualified upgrades every 5-7 years, then if opt for the 2 processor option myself.
 
Hi Soutthpaw,

Yes, an additional surgery hour is not the main issue. It is more about the safety issue.

Besides, I can't get any insurance paid for the surgery. Both of the distributors also don't qualified free upgrades. We should pay the whole money for any upgrades like from OPUS-2 to SONNET.

And both of the distributors also don't offer 2 processor unless you add full money to pay for the second one. What I listed is Implant-name + Processor, not 2 Processor name. (EX: CONCERT is Implant-name , and OPUS-2 is Processor.)

About the broken device issue, I'll check more about that. Thanks.
 
I know Cochlear brand you can purchase extended warranty coverage plan that will repair or replace device if broken. Check if the brands you are looking at offer something similar in your country. That is definitely a worthwhile investment. In the USA it's possible to get homeowner insurance rider to cover damage or loss of device sometimes too.
 
I don't think I've ever heard of the implant seating being made into a safety concern in all of these years. In fact, it's been the exact opposite lately with some physicians apparently skipping the seating to save time, resulting in the implant actually moving and migrating the electrodes. You want your implant seated and you want your electrodes to stay exactly where they are. Unless your doctor is being very case specific and sees that your skull is problematic, I don't see why this is being made into an issue. The AB implant is a bit thicker due to the complexity of the electrodes.

My AB implant is very flush with my head and my doctor never voiced any such concerns. This is at the House Ear Clinic, so they more than know what they are doing.
 
Go for AB. Med-el is far behind compared to AB technology, it's worth it.
The site isn't that huge or deep as you think, it won't really change anything. It's less than 0.5 cm deep and it has an advantage that the implant or the electrodes won't move at all. Safety has nothing to do with removing such tiny amout of bone. And no, it doesn't take a hour to drill the site, I watched many videos of the surgery and it takes a few minutes to do so.

Look at this, for example. the technology is just awesome
http://www.advancedbionics.com/com/en/products/sound_processing/hires_fidelity_120.html

I'm a bilateral AB user for 17 years and everything is just fine. In the old days they had to drill much deeper with any brand of implant, and even today it's good because you won't feel like you even have an implant, no bump.

The Naida Q70 is awesome indeed.
 
Thanks for these useful opinions.

I do prefer AB more. Especially after seeing the processors in the distributors, I've found that even the size of the processor is not bigger than Med-el's. (Cause Med-el said they have the smallest processor which fascinate me.)
And also I'm not glad that in my country, we still don't have SONNET, but only the older processor OPUS-2 to choose.

There's one thing that I'm so curious though, that by the 3 brands comparison chart in [cochlearImplantHelp], the estimated market share is Med-el 30% and AB 20%, but there's much fewer Med-el users to share their experiences online.(Cochlear also.) Even in Med-el's forum: HearPeers , I see there are only few posts a week.... This makes me can't really understand Med-el's performance. (I do see a real case surrounding me that use Med-el CI, she did have great performance with Med-el, but she's hearing-loss situation before CI is different to me, and also it is just one case.)
 
ymhon said:
Thanks for these useful opinions.

I do prefer AB more. Especially after seeing the processors in the distributors, I've found that even the size of the processor is not bigger than Med-el's. (Cause Med-el said they have the smallest processor which fascinate me.)
And also I'm not glad that in my country, we still don't have SONNET, but only the older processor OPUS-2 to choose.

There's one thing that I'm so curious though, that by the 3 brands comparison chart in [cochlearImplantHelp], the estimated market share is Med-el 30% and AB 20%, but there's much fewer Med-el users to share their experiences online.(Cochlear also.) Even in Med-el's forum: HearPeers , I see there are only few posts a week.... This makes me can't really understand Med-el's performance. (I do see a real case surrounding me that use Med-el CI, she did have great performance with Med-el, but she's hearing-loss situation before CI is different to me, and also it is just one case.)
Click to expand...
I know someone who went with Med-EL and had 3 implant fails in a row. (she posted on a hebrew CI users facebook group)

I believe the market share in the comparison isn't correct and also old. Only thing that is true and relevant in the comparison is the implant or processor.
Also because medical centers outside the US&Canada mostly push a brand they prefer to their patients. AB is most popular in the US&Canada and has the best technology at the moment.

"Advanced Bionics reported a 23% increase in cochlear implant sales for the six months to September 2014, compared to Cochlear’s 16% increase this half, meaning it’s continuing to gain ground."

Good luck :)
 
Both of my surgeries only took 45 minutes from getting prepped to waking up.
 
Hi sonocativo, I've been following your journey. Pretty fascinating stuff. I'm scheduled for surgery on August 10th. Scared and excited at the same time. How did you feel after surgery? I have a 3 hour car ride home that I'm not looking forward to. Also, you have all the gadgets I intend to get as well, would it be OK to message you with any questions? Wish me luck! Bye for now.

deafcanuck
 
deafcanuck: As for "gadgets" your audi should explained exactly the use for you.

aside: after my operation- 8 years ago I went home the next morning. I was operated on at 3 pm in the afternoon. I don't recall much "pain" at all. I was allowed to rresume swimming 2 weeks after the operation. No problem whatsoever.

Good luck
 
sonocativo said:
Both of my surgeries only took 45 minutes from getting prepped to waking up.
Click to expand...
Honestly with your claimed success and short surgery. You are the CI poster child. My first surgery was almost 5 hrs, 3 for the second one. Finally after 11 years I have implants I can hear fairly well in quiet. But still suck in noise. Anyone reading your experience needs to realize that your success is the exception rather than the norm.
 
Ill drill a hole into anyones heads for a fraction of the cost....
Pm me
Have a rusty black and decker at the ready...
Free up grades too...
Yours for the taking.....
 
hoichi said:
Ill drill a hole into anyones heads for a fraction of the cost....
Pm me
Have a rusty black and decker at the ready...
Free up grades too...
Yours for the taking.....
Click to expand...

You really should take better care of your tools kind sir :)
 
Back
Top