The cochlear implant.
The cochlear implant offers an alternative to selected profoundly deaf patients in whom conventional treatments or prostheses have been unsuccessful. Substantial benefits have been obtained by patients, with apparently minimal risk. There have been no serious surgical complications and only a few postoperative problems, which were remedied satisfactorily. The device has continued to function in patients over a period of years, and in cases of internal coil failure it has been removed and replaced. Replacement devices seem to function as well as the patient's first device. There has been no evidence of any decrement in performance after years of electrical stimulation or any measurable adverse effects. The cochlear implant is now widely available and should be considered an option to be offered to appropriate patients.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged