[sasi] Cochlear implants and aids

[Dave Mack]

Hi, again folks.  I am really enjoying my learning experience here.  After 
reading some of the comments about Cochlear Implants, I decided to check out 
some websites.  I found the following information from the Food & Drug 
Administration to be quite helpful and am reprinting what I found (assuming 
there is not a space limitation on this list).  In case you wish to go to 
their webpage, here is the link: 
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/CochlearImplants/ucm062843.htm



Benefits and Risks of Cochlear Implants

What are the Benefits of Cochlear Implants?
For people with implants:
Hearing ranges from near normal ability to understand speech to no hearing 
benefit at all.
Adults often benefit immediately and continue to improve for about 3 months 
after the initial tuning sessions. Then, although performance continues to 
improve, improvements are slower. Cochlear implant users' performances may 
continue to improve for several years.
Children may improve at a slower pace. A lot of training is needed after 
implantation to help the child use the new 'hearing' he or she now 
experiences.
Most perceive loud, medium and soft sounds. People report that they can 
perceive different types of sounds, such as footsteps, slamming of doors, 
sounds of engines, ringing of the telephone, barking of dogs, whistling of 
the tea kettle, rustling of leaves, the sound of a light switch being 
switched on and off, and so on.
Many understand speech without lip-reading. However, even if this is not 
possible, using the implant helps lip-reading.
Many can make telephone calls and understand familiar voices over the 
telephone. Some good performers can make normal telephone calls and even 
understand an unfamiliar speaker. However, not all people who have implants 
are able to use the phone.
Many can watch TV more easily, especially when they can also see the 
speaker's face. However, listening to the radio is often more difficult as 
there are no visual cues available.
Some can enjoy music. Some enjoy the sound of certain instruments (piano or 
guitar, for example) and certain voices. Others do not hear well enough to 
enjoy music.

What are the Risks of Cochlear Implants?
General Anesthesia Risks
General anesthesia is drug-induced sleep. The drugs, such as anesthetic 
gases and injected drugs, may affect people differently. For most people, 
the risk of general anesthesia is very low. However, for some people with 
certain medical conditions, it is more risky.


Risks from the Surgical Implant Procedure
Injury to the facial nerve --this nerve goes through the middle ear to give 
movement to the muscles of the face. It lies close to where the surgeon 
needs to place the implant, and thus it can be injured during the surgery. 
An injury can cause a temporary or permanent weakening or full paralysis on 
the same side of the face as the implant.
Meningitis --this is an infection of the lining of the surface of the brain. 
People who have abnormally formed inner ear structures appear to be at 
greater risk of this rare, but serious complication.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage --the brain is surrounded by fluid that may leak 
from a hole created in the inner ear or elsewhere from a hole in the 
covering of the brain as a result of the surgical procedure.

Perilymph fluid leak --the inner ear or cochlea contains fluid. This fluid 
can leak through the hole that was created to place the implant.
Infection of the skin wound.
Blood or fluid collection at the site of surgery.
Attacks of dizziness or vertigo.
Tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear.
Taste disturbances --the nerve that gives taste sensation to the tongue also 
goes through the middle ear and might be injured during the surgery.
Numbness around the ear.
Reparative granuloma --this is the result of localized inflammation that can 
occur if the body rejects the implant.
There may be other unforeseen complications that could occur with long term 
implantation that we cannot now predict.

Other Risks Associated with the Use of Cochlear Implants
People with a cochlear implant:
May hear sounds differently. Sound impressions from an implant differ from 
normal hearing, according to people who could hear before they became deaf. 
At first, users describe the sound as "mechanical", "technical", or 
"synthetic". This perception changes over time, and most users do not notice 
this artificial sound quality after a few weeks of cochlear implant use.
May lose residual hearing. The implant may destroy any remaining hearing in 
the implanted ear.
May have unknown and uncertain effects. The cochlear implant stimulates the 
nerves directly with electrical currents. Although this stimulation appears 
to be safe, the long term effect of these electrical currents on the nerves 
is unknown.
May not hear as well as others who have had successful outcomes with their 
implants.
May not be able to understand language well. There is no test a person can 
take before surgery that will predict how well he or she will understand 
language after surgery.
May have to have it removed temporarily or permanently if an infection 
develops after the implant surgery. However, this is a rare complication.
May have their implant fail. In this situation, a person with an implant 
would need to have additional surgery to resolve this problem and would be 
exposed to the risks of surgery again.
May not be able to upgrade their implant when new external components become 
available. Implanted parts are usually compatible with improved external 
parts. That way, as advances in technology develop, one can upgrade his or 
her implant by changing only its external parts. In some cases, though, this 
won't work and the implant will need changing.
May not be able to have some medical examinations and treatments. These 
treatments include:
MRI imaging. MRI is becoming a more routine diagnostic method for early 
detection of medical problems. Even being close to an MRI imaging unit will 
be dangerous because it may dislodge the implant or demagnetize its internal 
magnet. FDA has approved some implants, however, for some types of MRI 
studies done under controlled conditions.
neurostimulation.
electrical surgery.
electroconvulsive therapy.
ionic radiation therapy.
Will depend on batteries for hearing. For some devices new or recharged 
batteries are needed every day.
May damage their implant. Contact sports, automobile accidents, slips and 
falls, or other impacts near the ear can damage the implant. This may mean 
needing a new implant and more surgery. It is unknown whether a new implant 
would work as well as the old one.
May find them expensive. Replacing damaged or lost parts may be expensive.
Will have to use it for the rest of life. During a person's lifetime, the 
manufacturer of the cochlear implant could go out of business. Whether a 
person will be able to get replacement parts or other customer service in 
the future is uncertain.
May have lifestyle changes because their implant will interact with the 
electronic environment. An implant may
set off theft detection systems
set off metal detectors or other security systems
be affected by cellular phone users or other radio transmitters
have to be turned off during take offs and landings in aircraft
interact in unpredictable ways with other computer systems
Will have to be careful of static electricity. Static electricity may 
temporarily or permanently damage a cochlear implant. It may be good 
practice to remove the processor and headset before contact with static 
generating materials such as children's plastic play equipment, TV screens, 
computer monitors, or synthetic fabric. For more details regarding how to 
deal with static electricity, contact the manufacturer or implant center.
Have less ability to hear both soft sounds and loud sounds without changing 
the sensitivity of the implant. The sensitivity of normal hearing is 
adjusted continuously by the brain, but the design of cochlear implants 
requires that a person manually change sensitivity setting of the device as 
the sound environment changes.
May develop irritation where the external part rubs on the skin and have to 
remove it for a while.
Can't let the external parts get wet. Damage from water may be expensive to 
repair and the person may be without hearing until the implant is repaired. 
Thus, the person will need to remove the external parts of the device when 
bathing, showering, swimming, or participating in water sports.
May hear strange sounds caused by its interaction with magnetic fields, like 
those near airport passenger screening machines.

End of FDA webpage.

Best regards,
Grandpa Dave in California

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jeffrey" <jeffl989898 at verizon.net>
To: "sasi, (sight and sound impaired) discussion list" <sasi at acb.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 8:07 AM
Subject: Re: [sasi] Cochlear implants and aids


> RICK,
> JEFF LEWIN HERE,
> YES I AM SAME WAY NOW,
> AFTER ONLY 6 MONTHS
> I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TAKE A SHOWER WITHOUT PROCESSOR ON
> BUT OF COURSE I REMOVE IT.
> JEFF AND INCREDIBLE DOCKER
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rick Roderick" <rickrod at insightbb.com>
> To: "sasi, (sight and sound impaired) discussion list" <sasi at acb.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 9:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [sasi] Cochlear implants and aids
>
>
>> Mike,
>>
>> I agree with you.  Although a cochlear implant is not perfect, it is much 
>> better than no hearing at all.  I still use my right ear for music, but 
>> the left one is my better speech ear.
>>
>> I keep my hearing aid near me in the drawer of my bedside table. The CI 
>> processor is in the computer room in the dryer that came with it.  The 
>> battery is plugged in nearby.  I can communicate with my wife with ust 
>> the hearing aid, but it is a strain.  Something is definitely missing 
>> until I get that processor on in the morning.  In fact, I don't want to 
>> do anything else until it is on.
>> _______________________________________________
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>
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