Menu || Skip to Sub Menu || Skip to Content || YCIS || Implants || Children || Adults || The Ear Trust || News || Links || Graphical Version || Low Contrast Text Version |
Sub Menu || Referral || Assesment || The Operation || Risks & Complications || Programming & Rehabilitation || Quality of Life |YCIS - Adults - Referral
Referral
An adult considering a cochlear implant will first be referred to the Cochlear Implant Surgeon by either their General Practitioner or as a subsequent referral by their local ENT Consultant.
There are certain factors which must be considered before a adult is referred to us as a suitable candidate for a cochlear implant. The following conditions will normally need to be met.
- Adults should have a severe/profound bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss.
- Average aided responses should be greater than 55 dB across the frequency range from 2kHz up to and including 4 kHz.
- There has only been minimal benefit from appropriately fitted, high powered hearing aids.
- Consistent hearing aid use is being actively sought locally.
Other issues to consider are:
1 Patients whose severe or profound hearing loss is a consequence of meningitis should be 'fast tracked' regardless of hearing aid use. This is to reduce the risk of cochlea ossification. These patients will be prioritised throughout their assessment process.
2 Where auditory brainstem response testing is used as the basis for referral or to provide additional information, this should be performed in line with national recommended procedures.
3 Each adult should be medically fit for surgery.