Cochlear implants (CI) are designed for individuals with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. These individuals receive little or no benefit from hearing aids. CIs bypass the non-functioning part of the cochlea in order to deliver electrical signals directly to the auditory nerve. They can be used effectively by both prelingually and postlingually deafened children and adults.

A cochlear implant consists of two parts, an external and an internal component.

Internal

• Implant
  The implant consists of a housing, which contains the electronics, and the electrode array as well as the receiving antenna and a magnet that holds the coil in place behind the ear.

External

• Audio processor
  The audio processor is worn behind the ear and consists of a control unit, a battery pack, and a coil that transmits information through the skin to the implant.