What does cochlear implant surgery entail?
This is a fairly routine type of surgery for physicians who are trained in ear surgery (Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery). It takes about 3 hours and involves making an incision behind the ear. The mastoid bone behind the ear is drilled to get to the inner ear and the electrode is placed. The incision is then closed and a dressing applied. Often the patient is kept in the hospital one night for observation, but in other cases the patient can be discharged home the same day as surgery. It is not particularly painful, and patients can resume their normal activities within 2-3 days typically. The implant is not turned on until the incision has fully healed, about 4 weeks after surgery.
