Cochlear Prostheses

Cochlear implants have instigated a popular but controversial revolution in the treatment of deafness. This book discusses the physiological bases of using artificial devices to electrically stimulate the brain to interpret sounds. As the first successful device to restore neural function, the cochlear implant serves as a model for research in neuroscience and biomedical engineering. These and other auditory prostheses are discussed in the context of historical treatments, engineering, psychophysics and clinical issues as well as implications for speech, behavior, cognition and long-term effects on people.

The cochlear implant is a device that bypasses a nonfunctional inner ear and stimulates the auditory nerve directly. Written by the "father" of the multi-electrode implant, this comprehensive text and reference gives an account of the principles underlying cochlear implants and their clinical application. For the clinician, the book will provide guidance in the treatment of patients; for the engineer and researcher it will provide the background for further research; and for the student, it will provide a through understanding of the subject.

Today cochlear implants are the most successful of all prostheses of the nervous system. They are used in individuals who are deaf or suffer from a severe hearing deficiency caused by loss of cochlear hair cells. Auditory brainstem implants provide stimulation of the cochlear nucleus and are used in patients with an auditory nerve dysfunction, a deformed cochlea which does not allow cochlear implantation, or traumatic auditory nerve injury. In this volume different aspects of cochlear implantation such as the role of neural plasticity, the interaction with the development of the auditory system, and the optimal time of implantation in children (sensitive periods) are discussed in detail. Further, the processors and the algorithms used in modern cochlear implants are described The second part is devoted to auditory brainstem implants. It describes surgical techniques, methods for intraoperative testing as well as speech processing. It also deals with electrical stimulation of neural tissue and the neurophysiologic basis for cochlear and brainstem implants. The publication provides the latest scientific and clinical knowledge on cochlear and brainstem implants and is highly recommended to audiologists, otolaryngologists and also neurosurgeons.

Cochlear implants are currently the standard treatment for profound sensorineural hearing loss. In the last decade, advances in auditory science and technology have not only greatly expanded the utility of electric stimulation to other parts of the auditory nervous system in addition to the cochlea, but have also demonstrated drastic changes in the brain in responses to electric stimulation, including changes in language development and music perception. Volume 20 of SHAR focused on basic science and technology underlying the cochlear implant. However, due to the newness of the ideas and technology, the volume did not cover any emerging applications such as bilateral cochlear implants, combined acoustic-electric stimulation, and other types of auditory prostheses, nor did it review brain plasticity in responses to electric stimulation and its perceptual and language consequences. This proposed volume takes off from Volume 20, and expands the examination of implants into new and highly exciting areas. This edited book starts with an overview and introduction by Dr. Fan-Gang Zeng. Chapters 2-9 cover technological development and the advances in treating the full spectrum of ear disorders in the last ten years. Chapters 10-15 discuss brain responses to electric stimulation and their perceptual impact. This volume is particularly exciting because there have been quantum leap from the traditional technology discussed in Volume 20. Thus, this volume is timely and will be of real importance to the SHAR audience.

Thoroughly updated for its Second Edition, this book provides an in-depth discussion on prosthetic restoration of hearing via implantation. The text succinctly discusses the scientific principles behind cochlear implants, examines the latest technology, and offers practical advice on how to assess candidates, how to implant the devices, and what rehabilitation is most effective. The authors thoroughly examine the outcomes of cochlear implantation, the impact on the patient's quality of life, the benefits in relation to the costs, and the implications of cochlear implants for language and speech acquisition and childhood education.

The second edition of Cochlear Implants provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art techniques for evaluating and selecting the cochlear implant candidate. Clear descriptions of surgical techniques guide the reader through implantation procedures, and chapters address important issues such as speech production, language development, and education in implant recipients. This second edition features: New chapters on the genetics of hearing loss, sound processing, binaural hearing, and electroacoustic stimulation Complete discussion of the most recent advances in evaluation procedures, surgery, programming methods, speech processing strategies, and more Precise, easy-to-follow tables and figures enhance comprehension of the basic science, research and clinical concepts covered in the text Coverage of the medical and surgical complications of cochlear implantation Insights from an interdisciplinary team of experts in otolaryngology, audiology, the basic sciences, speech pathology, and education Ideal for learning and reference, Cochlear Implants synthesizes the key information needed by practitioners, researchers, and students in a range of disciplines. Readers will benefit from both the scope and thoroughness of this authoritative reference.

This volume describes a new direction in technological and biomedical developments for profoundly deaf individuals. The first section covers topics of tissue characteristics, such as responses to electrical stimulation and computer modelling of cochlea currents. Perception of acoustic signals, responses and behavioral pattern as well as psychophysical aspects are treated in the second part. Part III is addressed to perspectives and challenges of encoding schemes. Reports on studies of acoustic and electrical encoding of temporal information, speech features with cochlear implants as well as psychophysical and speech perceptual studies will allow further strategies for cochlea implants.

A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who has a severe or profound hearing loss. A cochlear implant does not cure deafness or hearing impairment, but is a prosthetic substitute which directly stimulates the cochlea. There are over 250,000 users worldwide with 12,000 in the UK. This book is a multidisciplinary guide to cochlear implantation in children and adults with sensorineural hearing loss (where the root cause lies in the inner ear or sensory organ, ie the cochlear and associated organs). Beginning with discussion on the aetiology of hearing loss and assessment of cochlear implant candidacy, the next chapter discusses preoperative cochlear implant imaging. Each of the following sections provides in depth coverage of different types of cochlear implantation and their potential outcomes. The final sections examine miscellaneous topics such as music perception in cochlear implantation, drug eluting electrodes, cost effectiveness, and reliability reporting. Authored by internationally recognised, US-based specialists, the text is further enhanced by clinical and surgical photographs and illustrations. Key points Multidisciplinary guide to cochlear implantation in children and adults Covers different types of cochlear implant and potential outcomes Includes miscellaneous topics such as music perception, drug eluting electrodes, and reliability reporting Internationally recognised, US-based author team

When it was first developed, the cochlear implant was hailed as a "miracle cure" for deafness. That relatively few deaf adults seemed to want it was puzzling. The technology was then modified for use with deaf children, 90 percent of whom have hearing parents. Then, controversy struck as the Deaf community overwhelmingly protested the use of the device and procedure. For them, the cochlear implant was not viewed in the context of medical progress and advances in the physiology of hearing, but instead represented the historic oppression of deaf people and of sign languages. Part ethnography and part historical study, The Artificial Ear is based on interviews with researchers who were pivotal in the early development and implementation of the new technology. Through an analysis of the scientific and clinical literature, Stuart Blume reconstructs the history of artificial hearing from its conceptual origins in the 1930s, to the first attempt at cochlear implantation in Paris in the 1950s, and to the widespread clinical application of the "bionic ear" since the 1980s.