The cochlear implant is used for people who suffer from profound hearing loss and is especially indicated when the problem affects both ears. The best results are obtained if the intervention takes place before the age of 3 years.
If it is too late, so if the little one does not hear anything until this age, he will not develop his speech, and his auditory nerves will not be trained to function.
Adults who have suffered accidents accompanied by damage to the ear can also benefit from the implant. Depending on the age and the type of the disease The age of 1-2 years is the one indicated for determining the type of deafness and its severity.
If the little one hears, even very weakly, doctors treat the problem with hearing aids, which amplify the sounds. This is because any resource of the body must be harnessed and trained in time.
But if the child cannot hear at all, the doctors turn to the implant. In these cases of sensorineural hearing loss, the condition is caused by serious damage to the cells in the inner ear.
They have the role of transforming sounds into electrical impulses, which are then picked up by the auditory nerve. When the cells are severely damaged, the prosthesis becomes ineffective.
The cochlear implant can also be used in partial lesions of the auditory nerves, which have difficulties in transmitting electrical impulses (neural hearing loss). What is the implant?
The cochlear implant consists of two parts: – a device that is fixed behind the ear. It consists of a microphone that captures the sounds and a small processor that transforms the sounds into electrical impulses. – these structures communicate with a miniature device that is implanted deep in the inner ear.
It has electrodes that play the role of specialized cells and stimulate the auditory nerve. The implantation procedure is complex and is performed by an ENT doctor with experience in this type of intervention.
How much does it cost?
The cost of the implant is 20,000 Euros and can be settled by the National Insurance House. Added to this are the costs of specialized investigations, surgical intervention, patient follow-up, and speech therapy treatment, which is essential.
