How Much Does Cochlear Implant Surgery Cost?

  • The cost of cochlear implant surgery starts from USD 2200 in India and price of cochlear implant ranges from USD 8,000 to USD 15,000.
  • The cost of cochlear implant operation in Turkey starts from USD 10,000 for one side and USD 15,000 for double side. Price of cochlear implant is around USD 25000.
  • An international patient can expect to pay 70-80% less for Cochlear Implant in India.
Cochlear Implant
  • Cochlear implants are electronic devices that reduce hearing loss. Cochlear implants don’t restore your hearing, but they can improve your ability to understand speech and hear other sounds.
  • A small, sophisticated electronic device is inserted beneath the skin behind the ear during cochlear implant surgery.
  • This device is an electronic device that aids in activating the auditory nerves and enables hearing for the patient.
  • Cochlear implants use a sound processor that sits behind the ear. The receiver is implanted behind the ear and receives sound signals from the processor by sending them to the receiver. The electrodes in the inner ear’s (cochlea) snail-shaped structure receive the signals from the receiver.
  • This is done to get around the cochlea’s role in turning sound vibrations into signals and sending those signals to the hearing nerve (also known as the auditory nerve).
  • These signals travel from this nerve to the brain, where they are converted into audible sounds. Included with the Cochlear Implant are:
  • The improved clarity of the noises allows people to hear conversations more readily. It can also enable people to live a fuller life, regain their confidence in public, and reconnect with loved ones.
  • The cochlear nerve is stimulated when these impulses are applied to cochlear electrodes.
  • They are sent to the brain via the nerve. In the end, hearing is the outcome.
  • The sounds that the brain will hear are different from those that we usually hear. In order to develop proper sound detection skills, speech therapy, and rehabilitation are necessary.

Eligibility

Patients must have severe hearing loss before a hearing aid is helpful. A cochlear implant will typically not function as well as a hearing aid for most individuals.

The following patient populations most frequently gain from a cochlear implant:

  • Children that are deaf at birth.
  • Young or middle-aged people with hearing loss brought on by autoimmune disease, genetics, or other unidentified factors.
  • Older people with progressive hearing loss are brought on by aging or exposure to noise.
  • However, a patient can only be evaluated by the cochlear implant team of doctors and audiologists to ascertain whether or not they would benefit from one.

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Cochlear Implant Vs Hearing Aids

A cochlear implant bypasses damaged areas of the ear to send sound impulses to the hearing (auditory) nerve, in contrast to hearing aids which amplify sound.

  • There are significant structural differences between a cochlear implant and a hearing aid.
  • Hearing aids increase sounds so that ears with hearing loss can hear noises.
  • Cochlear implants work by directly stimulating the auditory nerve to protect the ear’s tissue from harm.
  • Once the auditory nerve transmits the implant impulses to the brain, the brain interprets them as sound.
  • It takes considerable practice for someone to retrain their ears to hear with cochlear implants because normal hearing is different from that of them.
  • Many people can hear phone calls or face-to-face talks, comprehend other sounds around them, and perceive danger signs thanks to this technology.

Cost of Cochlear Implantation

The type of treatment, the technique used, as well as the hospital and location of choice, the doctor’s credentials, and other factors all determine the cost of cochlear implants.

  • The cost of cochlear implant surgery starts from USD 2200 in India and price of cochlear implant ranges from USD 8,000 to USD 15,000.
  • The cost of cochlear implant operation in Turkey starts from USD 10,000 for one side and USD 15,000 for double side. Price of cochlear implant is around USD 25000.
  • However, in the US the total costs of cochlear implants, including the devices, surgery, and rehabilitation, range from $50,000 to $100,000, according to experts.
  • In the UK the total cost of a cochlear implant for one ear, including the surgery, is £22,919 and for two ears, it is £37,904.

An international patient can expect to pay 70-80% less for Cochlear Implant in India.

  • For this reason alone, a large number of people travel to India for medical treatment for a variety of reasons, the most significant of which is the far lower cost of cochlear implants in India than in other nations.

Factors that affect the cost of cochlear implant surgery in India include:

  • Type of implant
  • Age of the patient
  • Whether it is a single or double implant
  • Preexisting health conditions
  • Choice of hospital and doctor
  • Complications during the procedure.
  • Pre-Implant Evaluations
  • Cochlear Implant Surgery
  • Surgery Follow-Up and Device Activation
  • Aural Habilitation/Rehabilitation

The total cost for pre-implant assessments, the implant device, surgery, and post-surgical fits depends on the patient’s needs and the surgical facility.

Hearing aids are less expensive than cochlear implants.

Cochlear implants are covered by the majority of significant insurance companies and federal insurance programs.

Costs may seem too large and significant. The majority of individual and group medical insurance plans mostly pay for the device and surgery, but additional expenditures may still be paid.

Procedure

Before the Procedure:

  • An examination of the inner, middle, and outer ears to look for pathology or infections.
  • Audiogram.
  • Testing of hearing aids.
  • Ct or MRI scans to examine the auditory nerve and inner ear.
  • General examination, current and previous medical histories, and fitness tests.
  • Psychological assessment to determine propensity for recovery.

During the Procedure:

  • Under general anesthesia, the procedure lasts 2.5 to 3 hours.
  • The posterior side of the cochlear implant is placed behind the muscle and skin and made sure to
  • The cochlea is removed, leaving a small opening (cochleostomy).
  • Through the cochleostomy, the electrode is inserted into the cochlea. Usually, complete insertion is achieved.

Following the Procedure:

  • Immediately following the procedure, the person won’t be able to hear.
  • Even once the internal components are in place, the surgical site needs to heal before the exterior equipment is attached.
  • Following four to six months of the individual is called to the fitting of these external aspects of the augmentation; triggering and programming of this augmentation
  • A cochlear implant is a lifelong commitment; the patient must return to the facility for regular follow-ups and yearly examinations.
  • Rehab should be completed by recipients.

Activation

The cochlear implant will be turned on by an audiologist after:

  • The sound processor can be adjusted to accommodate you or your child.
  • Make that the cochlear implant’s components are functioning properly.
  • Make sure the cochlear implant’s components are functioning properly. Identify the sounds that the kid hears.
  • Provide you with details on how to properly maintain and use the gadget
  • Set the device so one can hear as clearly as possible.

Risks

Residual hearing loss: Some persons may experience a loss of any remaining, unclear natural hearing in the implanted ear after the device has been installed.

Meningitis: It is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Following cochlear implant surgery, meningitis is a possibility.

Adults and children alike are typically immunized to lower the risk of meningitis before implantation. Less than 1 in 1,000 cochlear implant users are at risk for this extremely rare problem.

Device failure: Surgery may occasionally be required to fix or replace a malfunctioning inside device. Less than 5% of people experience this for a long period of time.

Other possible complications could be:

  • Infection.
  • Facial paralysis
  • Device infection
  • Balance problems
  • Dizziness
  • Taste problems
  • Disease.
  • Bleeding.
  • Nerve harm.
  • Dizziness or equilibrium issues.
  • Reduction of this hearing you’ve left.
  • New or worsened ear noise (tinnitus)
  • Leaks of this fluid around the brain.
  • One may need to remove and replace the implant if the device is malfunctioning or has become infected.

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Advantages of Cochlear Implant Surgery

Cochlear implant recipients claim improved:

  • Capacity to hear speech without relying on visual signals like lipreading.
  • Recognizing common environmental noises.
  • Ability to listen in a noisy environment.
  • Ability to find where sounds are coming from.
  • Being able to hear music, television shows, and phone conversations.
  • Tinnitus signs, such as ringing or buzzing, in the implanted ear.

Rehabilitation

  • The brain must be trained during rehabilitation to comprehend sounds heard through the cochlear implant. The sound of speech and commonplace background noises will differ from one’s memory.
  • It will take some time for the brain to process what these noises signify. The best way to complete this procedure, which is continuing, is to wear the speech processor constantly while awake.
  • One can maximize the use of your cochlear implant by scheduling routine, lifelong follow-up appointments to inspect and configure the device and do auditory testing.

Success Rate of Cochlear Implantation

Every person who suffers from hearing loss is unique. For instance, a child’s ability to succeed depends on the family’s expectations for their child’s hearing.

Cochlear implants work successfully for nearly all adults who experience hearing loss after having it their entire lives.

The following factors affect how much benefit they receive from cochlear implants:

  • Whether their hearing loss developed gradually or suddenly.
  • The duration of their hearing loss.
  • Whether they regularly wore hearing aids prior to developing hearing loss.
  • Whether they continuously wear their implant.
  • Whether or not they go through hearing therapy.

Success also varies according to people’s hearing loss goals and other factors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What precisely is a hearing aid?
A: It is a device worn in or on the ear. It helps enhance the sounds, which makes them more vibrant. A speaker, amplifier, and microphone make up its three main parts.

Q. When should children get cochlear implants?
A: Cochlear implants have been successfully implanted in infants as early as 14 months old. Those children who:

  • Have severe hearing loss in both ears
  • Have received little benefit from hearing aids
  • Are medically fit for surgery
  • Participate actively in post-operative rehabilitation

Q. One can hear to a certain extent. If they have a cochlear implant, will they lose all of their hearing?
A. Undoubtedly not. After receiving a cochlear implant, you could have historically anticipated total hearing loss.

However, thanks to advancements in cochlear implant surgery methods and implant design, around 50% of patients who do have some hearing continue to have it after surgery.

Q. How soon does hearing start to get better?
A. It can take some time before there is a significant improvement. This is because it takes some time for the brain to become accustomed to receiving information from the hearing nerve.

Typically, a month after an implant is turned on, a person’s hearing gets better. People sometimes need three to six months to develop their full hearing capacity.

People’s hearing often gets better faster if they:

  • Consistently engage in hearing practice and therapy.
  • Always wear their implants when they are awake.
  • They should wear their implants for the recommended period of time.

Q. Do cochlear implants have an impact on the brain?
A. Not at all, no. Surgery for cochlear implants is not brain surgery.

  • The cochlea’s electrodes communicate with the brain by sending signals to it, but they do not physically interact with it.
  • Nevertheless, cognitive function is enhanced following cochlear implant surgery.
  • The ability to learn and comprehend through your senses, especially hearing, is known as cognition.
  • Cochlear implants may be able to prevent or slow cognitive deterioration, according to studies.
Dr. Surbhi Suden

Verified By Dr. Surbhi Suden

Dr. Surbhi Suden is one of the founders of Lyfboat and a doctor with a renowned name in the Medical tourism industry. She has been working with international patients since 2008 and is a deeply committed professional with a long term vision of transforming the current healthcare scenarios.

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Dr. Surbhi Suden

Verified By Dr. Surbhi Suden

Dr. Surbhi Suden is one of the founders of Lyfboat and a doctor with a renowned name in the Medical tourism industry. She has been working with international patients since 2008 and is a deeply committed professional with a long term vision of transforming the current healthcare scenarios.
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