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Children or adults who are profoundly or completely deaf are candidates for cochlear implants.
Unlike a hearing aid, which amplifies sound, the implant is an artificial ear that functions as a substitute cochlea, a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that translates sound energy into nerve impulses.
Most profound deafness is sensorineural -- there is damage to the sensitive and vulnerable hair cells in the cochlea so that vibrations there cannot be transmitted. Implants can restore hearing by bypassing the hair cells and stimulating the auditory nerve directly to send information to the brain, where it is interpreted as sound.
A surgeon implants the internal device under the skin behind the ear during a three-to four-hour operation with the child under general anesthesia.
Because implantation destroys any of a person's natural hearing, the devices usually are placed in only one ear in case there are complications. "You also don't want to burn the bridge if there is some other revolutionary development down the road,'' said Dr. David Chi, the director of the Hearing Center at Children's Hospital.
Four to six weeks after implantation, the system is programmed and turned on.
"It's a magical moment," said Chi. "Sometimes kids open up their mouths with surprise, sometimes they cry."
Hearing through an implant sounds tinny or electronic, different from normal hearing. It's another tool that helps improve sound quality and speech recognition. The length of rehabilitation varies from person to person, and many factors such as the condition of the hearing nerve or the presence of scar tissue in the cochlea can hinder the success of the implant.
The combined cost of surgery and the device is roughly $35,000. Costs for these, as well as hearing aids and other assistive devices, that are not covered by private insurance are covered by special state funds. Tuition to special schools -- DePaul or Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf -- also is covered.
In July 2003, a study released by the New England Journal of Medicine suggested an increased risk of meningitis among those with cochlear implants, so children should be up-to-date on vaccinations. An earlier model, which was linked to a higher rate of meningitis, was removed from the market.
By Virginia Linn, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Unlike a hearing aid, which amplifies sound, the implant is an artificial ear that functions as a substitute cochlea, a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that translates sound energy into nerve impulses.
Most profound deafness is sensorineural -- there is damage to the sensitive and vulnerable hair cells in the cochlea so that vibrations there cannot be transmitted. Implants can restore hearing by bypassing the hair cells and stimulating the auditory nerve directly to send information to the brain, where it is interpreted as sound.
A surgeon implants the internal device under the skin behind the ear during a three-to four-hour operation with the child under general anesthesia.
Because implantation destroys any of a person's natural hearing, the devices usually are placed in only one ear in case there are complications. "You also don't want to burn the bridge if there is some other revolutionary development down the road,'' said Dr. David Chi, the director of the Hearing Center at Children's Hospital.
Four to six weeks after implantation, the system is programmed and turned on.
"It's a magical moment," said Chi. "Sometimes kids open up their mouths with surprise, sometimes they cry."
Hearing through an implant sounds tinny or electronic, different from normal hearing. It's another tool that helps improve sound quality and speech recognition. The length of rehabilitation varies from person to person, and many factors such as the condition of the hearing nerve or the presence of scar tissue in the cochlea can hinder the success of the implant.
The combined cost of surgery and the device is roughly $35,000. Costs for these, as well as hearing aids and other assistive devices, that are not covered by private insurance are covered by special state funds. Tuition to special schools -- DePaul or Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf -- also is covered.
In July 2003, a study released by the New England Journal of Medicine suggested an increased risk of meningitis among those with cochlear implants, so children should be up-to-date on vaccinations. An earlier model, which was linked to a higher rate of meningitis, was removed from the market.
By Virginia Linn, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
