Cochlear Implants?

Question

I'm 12 and very close to getting a cochlear implant. WHat is the surgery procedure? Do you have to stay overnight in the hospital. if you 12 does it take a lot of getting used to?

Answer 1

"Today's cochlear implant surgery is a relatively minor operation of just a few hours. Children who have had the surgery have been known to go home immediately afterwards, playing normally with minimal post-surgical effects. " (1)

"Surgery for inserting a cochlear implant is performed with the patient fully asleep. An incision is made behind the ear, sometimes after shaving a portion of the hair behind the ear. [Surgical tools] are used to open the bone behind the ear (mastoid bone) to allow the internal part of the implant to be inserted.

"The electrode array is then passed into the cochlea (inner ear). The receiver is placed into a "well" created behind the ear to help keep it in place, and to make sure it is close enough to the skin to allow transmission of electrical information from the external portion of the device.

"After surgery, there will be stitches behind the ear, and you may be able to feel the receiver in its "well" behind the ear. Any shaved hair should grow back. The external portion of the device will be placed about 3 to 4 weeks after surgery, to give the incision time to heal.

"After surgery, most patients are admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. Patients are given pain medicines and sometimes antibiotics to help with healing after surgery. Many surgeons will place a large dressing over the operated ear, which will be changed the day after surgery."(2)

Click on the links below to learn more. I am not deaf, but my understanding is that, yes, it will take getting used to, but there will be professionals available to help you learn to understand the signals you are receiving.

I hope you love your implant, have no problems, and that you live happily ever after!