About the Procedure

What to expect : The Operation

The cochlear implant operation takes approximately 2-3 hours, under general anaesthetic. Patients usually stay in hospital overnight, and their head will be bandaged for several days.

During surgery, there are two main goals:

1. to anchor the receiver-stimulator package in the temporal bone in the skull, and
2. to insert the electrode array into the shell–like cochlea.

First, the skin is raised from the skull, behind the ear, to expose the temporal bone. The surgeon then positions the implant package flat against the bone. Next, a hole is drilled in the temporal bone, allowing the surgeon access to the cochlea. A small hole is made in the wall of the cochlea, and the electrode array is gently guided in. Once the array is fixed in place, the wound is closed.

A surgical review is usually conducted 1 week after the operation, and the device is switched on approximately 2 weeks afterward. Patients attend for regular follow up appointments for the next 6-12 months, to optimise their hearing, and to help them learn to listen with the cochlear implant - see The Importance of Learning to Listen.

What to expect: switch on and follow up

  Date Created: Thursday February 19 2004
  Last Updated:  Tuesday July 29 2008
  Authorised By: Director, Audiological Services
  Maintainer: Webmaster, The Bionic Ear Institute
  Email: webmaster@bionicear.org
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