Hybrid Implant for Hearing Loss

[Guest guest]

Cochlear's Hybrid Implant Arthur Gardner was scheduled to become the first person in California to be surgically implanted with a new category of cochlear implant technology that appears to assist those who need more than a traditional hearing aid. Cochlear Corp. reported that Gardner was to be implanted with the Cochlear Nucleus® HybridT cochlear implant on Dec. 8, 2003 at the Stanford University Hospital by ph Roberson, MD. The device is currently undergoing FDA-sanctioned investigational trials and is designed for patients with high frequency hearing loss who do not benefit sufficiently from hearing aids. Roughly 1.25 million, or one in 200 Americans, could benefit from this surgery. "We are encouraged to take part in these investigational trials," said Dr. Roberson, who is CEO of the California Ear Institute. "The Hybrid device is proving to be a highly effective treatment to those patients with hearing loss too severe to allow the effective use of hearing aids but too good for standard cochlear implants." Arthur, who is vice president of sales at Dorfman Pacific, had relied upon the use of hearing aids, but now has minimal benefit from their use. Currently, he depends primarily on email and other forms of written communication to communicate with those around him. With the implant, he is hoping to regain the ability to participate effectively in many of his job duties, including attending trade shows, meetings, social engagements and telephone conversations-all of which have become increasingly difficult due to his hearing loss. From Advance for Audiologists, Jan 12, 2004