What Happens After Cochlear Implant Surgery in Adults and Children

Cochlear Implant Surgery

Some people are still sceptical about the outcome of a cochlear implant.  The scepticism is because of their unawareness of what to expect post-surgery. What precisely happens after the implant? 

Once the effect of the anaesthesia is gone and the patient gets conscious, the individual may feel:

  • A sense of pressure or uneasiness in the affected ear
  • Dizziness and nausea 
  • A sense of disorientation or confusion for a while
  • A sore throat is caused by the breathing tube used for general anaesthesia. 

The patient should expect to: 

  • Have the ear bandaged for sometime
  • To be released after a day or two following the surgery 
  • Have the stitches on for a few days 
  • Get instructions from the doctor about taking care of the stitches, using water when washing or shampooing, bathing or showering, diet, and general overall care.
  • Follow up with the surgeon to have the stitched removed and the implant site inspected. 
  • Has the implant activated after 3 to 6 weeks following the surgery 

Thus, following the cochlear implant, the patient will not hear for 3 to 6 weeks in the ear that is operated. Once the external transmitter and its components are added to the system and programmed, the implant would be activated, after which the patient will be able to hear. This period is needed for the site to heal and the body to come to terms with the recently added apparatus. 

Cochlear Implant Surgery and Therapy in Children

In the case of children, the implant will: 

  • Help make hearing and listening as interesting as they can be
  • Inspire your kid to make noise
  • Converse and interact with others normally
  • Ensure that your child can use as well as evaluate sounds that are audible to him/ her 

Children are generally more adaptable when it comes to learning new things than adults. Thus, they are likely to benefit more than adults from cochlear implants. The vocal quality, as well as speech intelligibility of children with cochlear implants, is better than adults with these implants and children with hearing impairment who only use the conventional hearing aids. 


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