2. What is a Cochlear Implant?

A cochlear implant is a medical option for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. They can be used effectively by both prelingually and postlingually deafened children and adults. By stimulating the sensory cells in the cochlea, cochlear implants allow recipients to perceive environmental sounds and speech.  

A cochlear implant system consists of two main components:

The external Speech Processor
The speech processor consists of a control unit, a battery pack and the coil for the wireless transmission of signals to the implant. MED-EL offers the option of using the OPUS 1 or the OPUS 2 Speech Processor designs, both with state-of-the-art electronics and software.

The Implant
The Implant is surgically placed under the skin. It consists of a housing for the electronics, an antenna for receiving signals from the sound processor, an electrode array, and a reference electrode.
MED-EL offers the option of two different cochlear implant designs, the widely used PULSARCI¹⁰⁰ with an extremely small ceramic housing and the SONATATI¹⁰⁰, the most advanced titanium implant available.