Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Devices

Providing Advanced Hearing Technology and Expert Care

Cochlear Implants

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that provides meaningful sound information to people who receive limited benefit from hearing aids. Stony Brook Medicine is one of the few medical centers in the region that performs cochlear implantation.

The Stony Brook Cochlear Implant Team

The Stony Brook Cochlear Implant Team combines surgical expertise with dedicated audiologists who deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care for individuals with hearing loss. Our expert team is highly experienced in cochlear implantation and advanced hearing technologies, using the latest surgical and audiological approaches to help patients achieve their best possible outcomes.

Team members

Surgeon

Huseyin Isildak, MD

Audiologists

Maria Pomponio, AuD
Jay Levenberg, MS
Natalie Grodecki, AuD
Mary Bradley, AuD
Jamie Cluna, AuD
Kristi Mohr, AuD

Adult and pediatric patients benefit from seamless access to Stony Brook’s multidisciplinary services including speech pathology, social work, neuropsychology and psychology, as well as strongly established partnerships with community audiologists, otolaryngologists and referring providers. With a proven history of high patient satisfaction, we guide individuals through every step of the process. From candidacy evaluations and counseling to surgery and device programming, our patients receive long-term, comprehensive support.

Stony Brook has been performing cochlear implants since 1995. Our staff has received extensive training in preoperative and postoperative cochlear implant assessments and programming.

How Do We Hear?

Sound waves travel into the ear canal and vibrate the eardrum, middle ear bones and inner ear. The cochlea is a snail-shaped part of the inner ear that contains thousands of tiny hair cells. The hair cells (stereocilia) change the vibrations into signals that stimulate the hearing nerve and send impulses to the brain where it becomes meaningful sound.

How Does A Cochlear Implant Work?

Damage to the tiny cochlea hair cells will cause a disruption in the transmission of the signals to the auditory nerve. The resulting hearing loss is called a sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlear implant is designed to compensate for the damaged cochlea hair cells and stimulate the auditory nerve directly.

A cochlear implant system has two components:

Externally worn microphone, sound processor and transmitter
Implanted receiver and electrode array

The microphone captures incoming sound and sends it to the speech processor, where it is translated into a distinctive electrical code. The coded information is then transmitted across the skin to the receiver and electrode array. The electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve fibers, causing electrical impulses to be delivered to the brain where they are interpreted as meaningful sound.

Who Can Benefit from A Cochlear Implant?

Cochlear implant candidacy changes, as a result of improved technology, have led to more individuals being eligible for cochlear implants. Currently, individuals with the current symptoms may benefit from an implant:

Moderate to profound hearing loss in one or both ears
Limited benefit from hearing aids
Difficulty understanding speech, particularly in noise
Ongoing communication challenges

What Can I Expect from the Surgery?

The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and takes about two to three hours. Most people go home on the same day and resume normal activities within a week. Complete healing at the implant site takes approximately two to three weeks.

What Follow-up Is Necessary?

The speech processor is initially fit approximately three weeks after the surgery. The recipient and audiologist work together to program the electrodes and make a map that is set into the processor. Regular sessions are needed as the person adapts to the new sound. For children, speech and language progress is monitored, comparing performance before and after the implant. The cochlear implant specialists maintain close contact with the child’s school. Speech therapy for adults is available depending on the patient's needs.

How Much Will My Hearing Improve After the Implant?

Cochlear implants have a very high success rate. Thousands of people have received cochlear implants, and almost all have achieved higher levels of performance than before implantation. However, it is difficult to predict the exact outcome for each person. Success depends on factors such as duration of deafness, degree of hearing loss prior to implantation and age at implantation.

Will My Insurance Cover the Procedure?

Cochlear implantation surgery is covered by most medical insurance policies. Our staff will discuss insurance with you and obtain a preauthorization prior to surgery.

How Do I Make an Appointment?

To serve our patients better, and ensure we allow enough time to fully evaluate each person's candidacy, our cochlear implant specialists will need some past history. If you have previously visited audiologist, ENTs and hearing aid dispensers, please contact all of them you have seen over the last five years, and request all results to be faxed to Mary Bradley at (631) 444-4582. When we receive the results, we will call you for an appointment. You can also use the forms below and we will request the results.

Osseointegrated Hearing Devices

The Osseointegrated hearing device is an electronic hearing system that stimulates the bone behind the ear and sends sound to the inner ear. The internal prosthesis is implanted under the skin on the bone behind the ear. The external processor is connected to the internal receiver by a magnet on both components.

Candidates for this type of device include people with outer of middle ear hearing loss (conductive hearing loss) or those with single-sided deafness (profound hearing loss in one ear).

Last Updated

07/06/2023