What is Cochlear Implant 

What is Cochlear Implant, Cochlear Implant Prices in Turkey Science and technology, which is advancing to serve people, continues to advance at full speed in the field of medicine. This progress is in every field of medicine, and it is aimed to facilitate people’s lives, to prevent deadly diseases and to increase the quality of life.

Some organs are very important for human beings. For example, while many people can live with one kidney, the absence of ears or loss of hearing can radically change people’s lives.

The ears, which are important organs for people to hear, have been created with an incredible perfection. In this creation, sometimes congenital and sometimes later disorders may occur. As a result of these disorders, the person’s hearing may decrease or be completely lost.

This is where scientists come into play. They treat people with drugs, surgical operations or the devices they will use afterwards. As a result of this treatment, those who have reduced hearing ability or who have completely disappeared will be able to hear again.

Some patients start to hear again with medication, surgery or hearing aids. However, in advanced hearing impairments, these procedures do not provide the patient with the opportunity to recover. In this case, there is another method that doctors use. This method is the Cochlear Implant, which is popularly known as bionic ears.

Bionic ears, which are used for treatment in advanced or very advanced stages, enable people to start hearing again.

How is Cochlear Implant Surgery Performed?

We can list the stages of the cochlear implant, that is, bionic ear surgery, for you as follows:

• First of all, the patient is examined by an ENT, ear-nose-throat doctor.
• Hearing is then tested by audiologists. If the patient is a child, speaking ability is also measured. These results are compared with children of the same age and with normal hearing.
• As a result of these results, the doctor decides whether to give the patient a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. Before this decision stage, a hearing aid is attached to the person for a period of 90 days and it is checked whether hearing will occur. If the necessary feedback is not received from these devices, cochlear implant application is performed.
• MRI and ear tomography are needed to find out what level of hearing the person has. After these examinations, the patient is examined extensively and past health history is also taken into account. After all these evaluations, it is decided whether the operation is appropriate for the patient. If the person’s hearing loss is congenital rather than later, genetic evaluations are also required.
• Cochlear Implant, that is, bionic ear surgery, is performed under the influence of general anesthesia. An operation takes approximately 2-4 hours.
• With the incision made behind the ear, space is made for the implant to be placed there.
• Before the incision is made behind the ear during the operation, it should be checked whether the bionic ear is working.
• The condition of the bionic ear placed on the head of the patient after the effect of anesthesia is checked with radiological imaging.
• The device is not activated to ensure full healing of the wound formed after the surgery. This passivity provides rapid healing in the wound and the device is activated after approximately one month.

Where is the Cochlear Implant Placed?

The microphone of the bionic ear is placed just behind the patient’s ear. The processor is located outside the head, slightly above. While the doctor surgically places the implant under the skin, parts called electrodes are positioned to be inside the cochlea during the surgery.

How Does a Cochlear Implant Work?

When patients have low-level hearing problems, hearing aids, such as microphones, amplify sounds and send them into the ear and hearing is provided. However, in advanced hearing loss, these devices do not work and a bionic ear, that is, a cochlear implant device, is needed.

This device, which is placed in the skin and ear during the surgery, works with the logic of converting the received sound waves into electrical energy. In short, the process takes place in four stages. These are:

• The microphone picks up the sounds in the environment.
• It transfers these sounds to the Speech (sound) processor for editing.
• The implant converts the sounds that come out as a signal from the speech processor to electrical energy.
• Finally, the electrode array provides hearing by sending this energy to different parts of the nerves that provide hearing.

What are the Cochlear Implant Benefits?

Of course, being able to hear is one of the most important and wonderful things in the world. Healthy people are often unaware of these abilities and do not realize how important they are. But it is inevitable that someone who is truly sick will realize what a wonderful gift hearing is after they recover.

This treatment method has many benefits. We can list these benefits for you as follows:

• Hearing-impaired patients usually need visual factors such as lip-reading to understand the person speaking. After this implant is inserted, the person will be able to hear them without feeling the need.
• They will be able to recognize routine daily sounds such as car, traffic, sea, rain, friend, crowd.
• If the person is in a noisy environment, he will be able to hear a single sound by distinguishing the sounds one by one.
• After using the device, he will be able to understand where the sound comes from.
• He will be able to hear the sounds easily while watching television or talking on the phone.

Who is the Cochlear Implant Applied to?

Cochlear implants are not applied to every hearing problem. First of all, some conditions must be met. We can explain these conditions for you as follows:

• The person has severe hearing loss
• The person does not see any benefit from the hearing aids they have already used
• The person who will undergo this surgery does not have any health factors that will affect the surgery
• Having high motivation
• It is necessary to have all the information about the Cochlear Implant

At What Age Is Cochlear Implant Performed?

Cochlear implant application is applied to regain the hearing ability that people have lost, and as a result of this surgery, the person starts to hear and his life is in order.

This surgery is performed on anyone who needs to be done after at least 1 year of age.

What are the Risks of Cochlear Implant Surgery?

As with any surgery, there are some risks in cochlear implant surgery. We can list these risks for you as follows:

• As in many surgeries, the person undergoes the operation under general anesthesia in this surgery. A number of risks may arise from anesthesia.
• Even if the miscarriage is there, there is a risk that the person will have facial paralysis.
• Leakage of the person’s cerebral fluid.
• Although it is unlikely, the possibility that the patient has meningitis.
• There is also the possibility that the attached device may be damaged. In such deteriorations, the person is taken to surgery again and the device is changed.

What is Pediatric Cochlear Implant?

The Pediatric Cochlear Implant is the bionic ear that is usually used in children. There is no significant difference between the Cochlear Implant used in adults. The way they work is the same.

Cochlear Implant Prices in Turkey

Turkey is a country that has made its name known with its successful surgeries. It is one of the first countries whose doors are stolen in serious surgeries. There are many reasons for this preference, we can list these reasons for you as follows:

• Having doctors who are experts in their fields, successful, talented, knowledgeable, experienced and empathetic.
• Finding hospitals where treatment procedures are carried out with large, spacious, clean, technologically fully equipped devices.
• Especially doctors and nurses, all the officials and staff who help you come to the country, patient caregivers, hospital management and staff, people who provide accommodation services are extremely friendly and helpful. Turkey, which draws attention with its hospitality, is also preferred with this positive aspect.
• Using different treatment methods with high success rates in the light of science.
• With the natural and historical beauties of Turkey, it offers a holiday opportunity to the patients and their relatives after the treatment.
• Situations such as completing the treatment, accommodation and eating and drinking process at affordable prices explain the reasons for preference.

If you also want to have Cochlear Implant Surgery in Turkey, you can come to the country through us through our invitation letter, which we facilitate visa procedures. You can contact us for all the questions you had before, the cochlear implant surgery process and general price information.