Indian Recipients Share Cochlear Implant Experience

For Release: February 11, 2004

Cochlear Implants – A Gift of Hearing

Thousands of hearing impaired from around the world, can hear thanks to Cochlear Implants

Indian recipients share first hand experience with Cochlear Implants

Mumbai, February 11, 2004: Cochlear, the world leader in hearing implant technology, at the special briefing today highlighted the accessibility of its state of art technology in India. The company’s focus is to create awareness about cochlear implant systems and their benefits. With more than 50,000 Nucleus cochlear implant system recipients to its credit in 120 countries, the company now brings a ray of hope for people with both congenital impaired, as well as acquired hearing problems.

A cochlear implant is a device that electronically stimulates the hearing nerve of the cochlea (inner ear) to enable people who have severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, or nerve deafness, to perceive sound. Nerve deafness occurs when the tiny hair cells that line the cochlea have been damaged. These damaged hair cells cannot send electrical impulses to the hearing nerve; hence, the brain does not receive complete sound information.

After surgery, the recipient has to enroll in therapy. Recipients need to have appropriate listening models and materials to help in the development of their listening skills. Therapists, teachers, family members and the recipient's audiologist are the key people to provide these tools.

Warren Estabrooks, M.Ed., DIP. Ed. Deaf, Cert. AVT®, Director, Auditory-Verbal Practice, Learning to Listen Foundation (LTLF), at the Phillips House, North York General Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada explained the importance of appropriate therapy at a press gathering in Mumbai.

According to Mr Estabrooks: “Learning to hear, listen and to speak can be a long but exciting process. For someone who has been without sound for a significant period, or a child who has never heard, it takes some time for the brain to become accustomed to the linguistic stimulation provided through the cochlear implant. By creating a stimulating listening environment and interacting with the recipient in spoken language, parents help to develop and enhance his or her learning process. A young recipient’s success in learning how to listen and talk depends on effective partnership of the parent and the professional team.”

Commenting on Cochlear implants Dr. Milind Kirtane, Consultant ENT Surgeon, P. D. Hinduja National Hospital and Hon. Professor of ENT, Seth G. S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai said: “One out of every twelve Indians today suffer from some degree of impaired hearing. Cochlear implants are a proven medical treatment for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss – the number of people is anywhere between one to three million in India. The technology has helped thousands of people to listen, learn and talk since the first multi-channel cochlear implant surgery was performed in 1982. Cochlear implant systems are designed to last a lifetime. Nucleus, is the most widely used implant worldwide because of its excellent reliability and it is also the most widely used one in India.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ashok Adakar from India said: “Since our first surgery in India in 1994, more than 300 people have benefited from our Nucleus Cochlear implant systems. The cost of the implant should be seen as an investment towards quality of life enhancement rather than as a medical expense. With India experiencing an all time technological upswing, I would like to encourage all Indians to focus on elevating their awareness towards technologies for improving both health and lifestyle patterns.”

Patients in India and across the world can access complete information about the implants, benefits and technology on www.cochlear.com.