COCHLEAR

IMPLANTATION
INTRODUCTIO
N
• Sound perception is
one of the five
senses of human
life. Cochlear
implant is the latest
development in
medical treatment
enabling totally deaf
people to once
again receive the
sensation of sound.
HOW THE EAR
FUNCTIONS?
Structure of inner ear
 Deafness
• Deafness refers to partial or
complete loss of hearing.

There are two types of deafness’

• Conductive deafness
• Sensorineural deafness
 Conductive Deafness
• As suggested by the name,
conductive deafness is the inability of
the external ear to conduct sound
waves or whenever there is
obstruction or disease in the external
or middle ear, this deafness results
and can be corrected by medical or
surgical treatment.
 Sensorineural Deafness
• It results when the inner ear stops
funtioning,i.e., there is some problem in
the cochlea. Causes of deafness
includes otitis media, meningitis,
mumps, ototoxide Drugs, congenital
causes, trauma to the inner ear, sudden
deafness of unknown origin, noise
trauma, meniers disease, hypoxia,
mondinis anomalies, etc…
 What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is a
small, complex
electronic device that
can help to provide a
sense of sound to a
person who is
profoundly deaf or
severely hard of
hearing. The implant is
surgically placed under
the skin behind the ear.
 Cochlear Implant
• Cochlear Implant stimulates the auditary nerve
electrically hence produce a sensation of sound in a
different way.
• An implant has four basic parts:
a) A microphone, which picks up the
sound from the environment.
b) A speech processor, which selects
and arranges sounds picked up by the
microphone.
c) A transmitter and receiver/stimulator,
which receives signals from the speech
processor and convert them into electric
impulses.
d) And electrodes, which collect the impulses from
the stimulator and send them to the brain.
 How does a cochlear implant
work?
• 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.
• A cochlear implant works in a similar manner
as of ear, hearing through it may sound
different from normal hearing, but it allows
many people to communicate fully with oral
communication in person and over the
phone.
• Sound waves enter the system
through the powerful microphone
located in the single-unit head-
piece and are converted into an
electrical signal.
• This signal is sent to the speech
processor via a thin cable that
connects the head-piece to the
speech processor.
• The speech processor converts the
electrical signal into a distinctive
code that has been determined to
be the most useful for sound and
speech understanding.
• Once processed, the electrically coded
signal is sent back up the thin cable to
the head-piece and is transmitted
across the skin via radio waves to the
implant.
• The implant decodes the signal and
delivers it to the array of electrodes
positioned deep within the cochlea.
• The electrodes bypass the damaged
hair cells and directly stimulate the
hearing nerves fibers within the
cochlea.
• Stimulation of the hearing nerves
causes electrical impulses to be
delivered to the brain where they are
interpreted as sound. The entire
process...from incoming sound to
processing in the brain…occurs so
rapidly that the user hears sound as it
happens.
 How does someone receive a
cochlear implant?
• A cochlear implant is a surgical procedure.
The decision to receive an implant should
involve discussions with many medical
specialists and an experienced surgeon.
• Also, though surgical implantation is almost
always safe, complications are a risk factor,
just as with any kind of surgery.
• Not everyone performs at the same level with
a cochlear implant. Prior to implantation, all
of these factors need to be discussed.
• When nerve fibers are damaged (neural
deafness) or disorder of brain stem (central
cause), the cochlear implant does not help.
Most of Sensorineural deafness are
sensory. Unfortunately, these cells once
destroyed cannot grow again and if the fluid
waves in the cochlea have no hair cells to
stimulate, the nerve fibers even if they are
normal cannot transmit electrical impulse.
Neurons that are damaged in sensorineural deafness
Pre-Operative
Implantation of the electrode array
Post-Operative view
Final result after implantation
Hearing after surgery is just like
normal
 What does the future holds for
cochlear implants?
The technology behind cochlear implants is
changing rapidly. With advancements in
technology and continued follow-up research
with people who have already received implants,
researchers are evaluating new opportunities
and additional possible candidates for cochlear
implants.
In India, for 12 years, cochlear implant systems
have advanced from a single to multiple channel
device that give benefits to the patient.
X-Ray images of cochlea
Actual view of Cochlea
Increase in no. of implants
Thank
You
Presented By:-
Deepika Singhal
Muskan Chaudhary
Namami Tiwari
XII-B