Cochlear Implant Technology

To be eligible for a cochlear implant, candidates must receive little or no benefit from a hearing aid. Patients who’ve never been able to hear, or had the ability to hear and lost it, may be considered for a cochlear implant. It’s important to note that the criteria to determine candidacy vary by age.

Patients eligible for a cochlear implant cannot have a medical condition that restricts the implant procedure. Criteria for adults 18 years of age or older include:

• Severe-to-profound, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and
• Appropriately fitted hearing aids offer only limited benefits

Criteria for children two to 17 years include:

• Severe-to-profound, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and
• Lack of progress in development of auditory skills with a hearing aid

Criteria for children younger than two years include:

• Profound, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and
• Lack of progress in development of auditory skills with a hearing aid

These criteria are general guidelines. Each patient is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the implant team to determine if a cochlear implant is in the patient’s and family’s best interests.

Cochlear Implant Candidates