THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT. A HIGH TECHNIQUE IN OTOLOGIC SURGERY. REVIEW

Deafness is a health issue that generates a social dysfunction. The cochlear implant (CI) remains, to this day, the only viable option in treating profound deafness. The CI is a device that gives back the hearing to people with severe or profound hipoacusis, when the hearing organ located in the internal ear was not fully developed or was destroyed by illness or traumatism. It by-passes the internal ear and gives information to the hearing centers through direct stimulation of the vestibulocochlear nerve. This paper presents the cochlear implant and the auditory implantation as a high-end technique in auditory surgery, starting with a short review of deafness therapy, the current treatment options, the additional improvements and the possible future techniques