Cochlear Implant
A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that restores a functional sense of hearing to people with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who receive limited benefit from conventional hearing aids. The system has two main components: an internal implant placed behind the ear and inside the cochlea during surgery, and an external sound processor worn behind or off the ear.
The external processor captures sound, converts it into digital signals, and transmits those signals to the internal implant. The implant delivers electrical impulses directly to the auditory nerve, bypassing the damaged hair cells in the cochlea. Cochlear implants require ongoing audiological follow-up, including programming sessions (called mapping) to optimize how the device processes sound as the user adapts over time.
Candidacy is determined by an interdisciplinary team that typically includes an audiologist, an otolaryngologist, and a speech-language pathologist. In Canada, cochlear implant surgery is covered by provincial health plans at designated implant centres.
