Cochlear Implant Presentation

Jennifer Callaway
M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech/Language Pathologist
Grafton Elementary School
John Long Middle School
jcallaway@grafton.k12.wi.us
 What is a Cochlear Implant?
• A small, complex electronic device

• Provides a sense of sound to a person

who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of
hearing

• Implant is surgically placed under the skin

behind the ear

• An implant has four basic parts:

• Microphone

• Speech processor

• Transmitter and receiver/stimulator

• Electrodes
 Structures of the Ear and the Cochlear Implant
•Normal Ear •Cochlear Implant
•Middle ear: •Receiver-stimulator portion of implant is
•Tympanic membrane surgically placed beneath the skin
•Ossicular chain (Malleus, Incus, •Small opening made into the cochlea and
Stapes) implant electrode is threaded in
•Inner ear:
•Cochlea
•Vestibular Nerve
Who receives Cochlear Implants?
• Both children and adults can be candidates for implants.

• Approximately 59,000 people worldwide have received implants. (According to the Food
and Drug Administration 2002 data)

• In the United States:

• 13,000 adults have cochlear implants

• 10,000 children have received them

• What is the cost? About $30,000 to $55,000

 The Surgical Procedure
• Performed under general anesthesia

• Operation takes approximately three hours

• Patients generally able to go home the same day of surgery

• Patient not able to hear automatically

• ‘Hook Up’ Procedure occurs about 1 month post-implant

• Takes some time for the brain to get used to the stimulation from the implant

• Involves a rehabilitation program

 Cochlear Implants vs. Hearing Aids
• A cochlear implant is very different from a hearing aid.

• Hearing aids amplify sound.

• Cochlear implants compensate for damaged or non-working parts

of the inner ear.

• Enable people to detect very soft speech and environmental

sounds

• Hearing through an implant may sound different from normal

hearing

Types of Hearing Aids

What a Cochlear Implant Can NOT do:
• An implant does NOT restore or create normal hearing.

• It cannot replicate the same sensitivity or speech understanding in all acoustic

environments as a normal hearing person.

• Rather, it can give useful auditory understanding of the environment and help the

individual to understand speech.

Limitations and Special Considerations
• Physical Activities:

• External portion must be removed during swimming

• Voice does not carry well in large outdoor spaces

• Poor acoustics in gyms

• Sound bounces off walls

• Background noise competes with speaker’s voice

 One Model: Nucleus Esprit 3G
• Made by Cochlear

• Easy-to-use controls and light weight - only

15 grams with batteries

•  Batteries: 3 high power zinc-air batteries

•Battery life varies

•  Two programs for different listening

environments

•  Built-in telecoil for access to phones and

theaters

•  Wireless access to Microlink FM

•  Whisper Setting™ to bring soft sounds

closer
What does a Cochlear Implant sound like?

• http://www.utdallas.edu/~loizou/cimplants/
• Normal speech
• Speech via Cochlear Implant (8 channel)
Troubleshooting
PROBLEM SOLUTION
* Look for sources of electromagnetic
interference including:
Intermittent buzzing sound a. Radio/TV transmission towers
b. Security systems
c. Some digital cellular phones
* Switch processor off for a few seconds
and then turn back on again.
* Check mode setting
No sound * Change all three HIGH POWER 675
batteries and clean battery contacts
* Plug in the auxiliary microphone
* Check coil using signal check

Static * Plug in the auxiliary microphone

* Remove any materials which may be

covering the headpiece
Muffled or distorted sound * Plug in the auxiliary microphone
* Change all three batteries with HIGH
POWER 675 batteries
* Leave in Dri-Aid pack overnight
No sound after getting wet
* Call your implant center
* Change all three batteries with HIGH
POWER 675 batteries
Intermittent sound
* Plug in auxiliary microphone
* Check coil using signal check
Any Questions?

jcallaway@grafton.k12.wi.us
References and Images Used
• www.thelisteningcenter.com/
• www.utdallas.edu/~loizou/cimplants/
• www.hei.org/research/depts/aip/audiodemos.htm
• www.cochlear.com/
• www.cochlearimplant.com/
• www.phys.unsw.edu.au/ ~jw/Fearnetal.html
• www.bcig.org/images/news.gif
• www.childrensspecialists.com/ body.cfm?id=762
• www.lhsc.on.ca/ cochlear/hearing.htm
• www.american-hearing.org/ name/coganpatient.html
• http://apollo.med.unc.edu/ent/oto-hns/images/CI2.jpg
• www.chsc.org/images/hastyles_resize.jpg
• www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/images/ear_cochlear.asp
Purpose of Presentation
• Audience: educators, parents, students, professionals

• Objective: Answer the following questions:

• What is a cochlear implant?

• Who benefits from a cochlear implant?

• How do they work?

• How are hearing aids and cochlear implants different?

• What do I do when something goes wrong?

• What are good communication techniques?