Download COCHLEAR IMPLANTS

COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
INSERVICE
How the ear works

Outer Ear
 Middle Ear
 Hammer
 Anvil
 Stapes

Inner Ear


Cochlea
Auditory
Nerve
A Conductive Hearing Loss~
• This happens when there is a problem with a
part of the outer or middle ear.
• Most kids with conductive hearing loss have a
mild to moderate hearing loss.
• Sometimes it is temporary because medical
treatment can help.
• Causes are: ear infections, wax buildup, fluid
buildup, problem in ossicular chain, childhood
diseases, congenital abnormalities
A Sensorineural Hearing Loss~
• This happens when the cochlea is not working
correctly because the tiny hair cells are damaged or
destroyed. A sensorineural hearing loss means the
nerve that carries the messages from the cochlea to
the brain is damaged.
• Sensorineural hearing impairment is almost always
permanent and a kid's ability to talk normally may be
affected.
• This loss is often severe to profound.
• Causes are: birth trauma, head trauma, severe
infections/illnesses, noise, lack of oxygen, hereditary,
ototoxic drugs
SIMULATIONS
Listening demos of acoustic
simulations of hearing loss
http://www.betterhearing.or
g/sound/index.cfm
Listening demos of acoustic
simulations of cochlear
implants
http://www.utdallas.edu/~loiz
ou/cimplants/cdemos.htm
How does a cochlear implant work?
1. The external processor captures sound and converts the
sound into digital signals.
2. The processor sends the digital signal to the internal
implant components through the magnet.
3. The internal implant
converts the signals into
electrical energy,
sending it to an
electrode inside the
cochlea.
4. The electrodes stimulate
the auditory nerve,
allowing the brain to
perceive signals as
“sound”.
???? Do You Remember ????
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Where does the cochlear implant go?
Name three parts of the cochlear implant.
What is another name for programming?
How long until it is turned on?
How long until it is fully on and ready?
What is the patient’s responsibility?
External Processor
SURGERY
2-4 hours
Surgeon drills an area in temporal bone and then
into the mastoid bone
Drills a hole into the cochlear
Implant under skin and inside skull
 thread wires with electrodes into the cochlear
(spiral)
Close are and apply dressing
Dizzy for several days
HOW IT WORKS
Audiologist
 Electrodes are tested and turned on. Patient
identifies loudest volume tolerated.
Measures softest and loudest sounds electrode
can transmit.
 Processor matches sounds to different electrodes
to create digital version of sound.
Limited number of electrodes for thousands of hair
cells
Pick up sounds after a few programming sessions.
 Indentify and interpret the new sounds.
Programming (mapping) takes several months.