Results and experience of 50 cochlear implant operations

Cochlear implantation (CI) is a relatively new type of treatment that aims to re-establish hearing in deaf people. This paper reports on the results f rom CI operations on 34 adults and 17 children. All patients benefited from the treatment. The adults' communication with other people improved. Almos t all patients use their implant 16 h a day and some of them are able to co mmunicate by telephone. Among children the results show that the treatment is safe, as no complications have developed. Hearing and speech improved in all children, and thus also their ability to communicate. The results obta ined are dependent on the individual patient's condition. the time of opera tion in relation to the development of deafness, and the type of CI used. C I treatment of deaf people may be considered to he one of the greatest adva nces in otology.