Cochlear implant: our preliminary experience.
We have performed cochlear implants on 16 patients (12 cases with the plug type electrodes and 4 cases with the coil type electrodes) with analogue single channel electroacoustic stimulators. The follow-up period was 8 months to 3 years. The selection of patients, operative approach and the results of these cases are presented. Our present cochlear implant can bring the totally sensory deaf patient back to the world of sound but the sounds heard are distorted so they are unable to discriminate speech, although it improves their lipreading capacity and sense of safety. The results are encouraging but much more is to be desired and further research and investigation are required.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013067:Speech Perception