New Brunswick Cochlear Implant Follow-Up Program
To make an appointment
Les porteurs d’implants cochléaires du Nouveau-Brunswick peuvent être suivis par notre équipe. Appelez-nous directement:
506-544-3869
1-888-695-9222 x 3869 (numéro sans frais)
What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is an electronic device that allows people with profound deafness to access sound more effectively. It consists of an internal part and external part.
The internal part is inserted under the skin behind the ear during surgery under general anesthetic.
The external part consists of a processor connected to an antenna, which has a magnet that keeps it in place next to the internal part so that contact can be maintained.
The internal part and external part are essential to the implant’s operation.
How a cochlear implant works
This photo courtesy of Cochlear™ Americas, © 2009 Cochlear Americas.
- The microphone captures sounds from the environment. The processor then analyses the sounds.
- The encoded sounds are transmitted to the internal part. They are then transformed into electric impulses.
- The electric impulses are transmitted to the electrodes.
- The electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve, which sends the information to the brain.
At the Chaleur Regional Hospital, we offer:
- Assessment for people who wish to receive a cochlear implant;
- Activation, programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting of implants;
- Hearing rehabilitation for people with implants;
- Regular follow-up for people with implants;
- Coordination of care with cochlear implant centres outside the province.
The surgery to insert an implant must be done outside the province at one of the following locations:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Quebec City, Quebec
- St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Ottawa, Toronto or London, Ontario
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- Calgary or Edmonton, Alberta
- Vancouver, British Columbia
Who can receive services?
New Brunswick residents of any age with serious or profound deafness can be assessed.
New Brunswick residents with cochlear implants can be followed by our team.
To request services (follow-up, repairs, equipment loan, financial assistance)
Call us from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
506-544-3869
1-888-695-9222 x 3869 (toll-free)
To request a candidacy evaluation
It is preferable for requests to be made by an ENT physician or an audiologist (using our request form).
A person or a family member can also make a request directly to the program.
You can submit a request (form and supporting documents) by mail or fax:
Mailing address:
Chaleur Regional Hospital
Audiology Department
1750 Sunset Drive
Bathurst NB E2A 4L7
Fax: 506-544-3431
Our team
Our team is made up of the following professionals:
- Audiologists;
- Rehabilitation assistant;
- Psychologist;
- Speech-language pathologist;
- Social worker.
Our audiologists have received training on cochlear implants and they regularly attend training and meetings with professionals from around the world.
The results vary greatly from one person to another, and an implant can never generate normal hearing. It is impossible to predict how you will hear. Although we can fine tune how your implant is programmed, we have no control over how your auditory nerve, central auditory pathway, or auditory cortical region work, and these all play a key role in the quality of the sound that you perceive.
Generally, when we determine that a hearing impaired person is a candidate to receive a cochlear implant, it’s because the odds are good that the person will hear better with the implant.
The information flow from a cochlear implant complements the visual information received from lipreading, and this helps achieve better communication. Everyone with a cochlear implant can hear sounds and distinguish between sounds that are short or long, loud or quiet.
Most can also distinguish between high- and low-pitched sounds and recognize some everyday sounds in the environment, such as a doorbell, car horn, or ringing telephone. Most can also recognize a word or phrase from among a limited selection of words or phrases.
It’s impossible to predict how someone will perceive speech after receiving a cochlear implant. Most patients can hear speech but it generally takes some time for them to start to understand sounds (especially children). With an effective follow-up program, a period of rehabilitation, and full-time use of the processor, patients are gradually able to understand speech. If you wear a conventional hearing aid on your other ear, we may recommend that you not wear it for a certain period of time until you have adjusted to your implant.
Some people are able to understand words or phrases without reading lips and are able to use a telephone for simple conversations with people they know.
Finally, some people are able to understand almost everything without reading lips, but this occurs more rarely.
Listening to music with a cochlear implant is not generally pleasant. Implants are designed to make it easier to understand speech, and the sound coding strategies used are tailored to processing speech. Some people do, however, get report getting a certain enjoyment from listening to music.
If another option is available, such as conventional hearing aids, a cochlear implant is not recommended. If your hearing aids are not adjusted to your level of deafness, we may recommend that you see your audiologist / hearing aid practitioner for adjustments or to purchase new units. If you can perceive speech well using conventional hearing aids, these are a better option for you than cochlear implants.
If you have been profoundly deaf for quite a while, cochlear implants are not recommended. If your auditory nerve has never been stimulated or has not been stimulated for a very long time, it may not be able to correctly transmit sound information to the brain.
A cochlear implant will have no effect if the problem is found elsewhere than the inner ear (e.g. auditory nerve). Also, if your cochlea is damaged and cannot take an electrode, a cochlear implant is not recommended.
Patients must be in good enough health to handle anesthesia and recover from the procedure. They must also be able to attend the follow-up program (programming and rehabilitation) after the operation. The list of necessary follow-up is found further on in this document.
It is essential for patients and families to have realistic expectations about cochlear implants.
Finally, support from family and friends is key to success for someone receiving a cochlear implant.
To receive a cochlear implant, a very detailed assessment must take place before an out-of-province surgeon is consulted.
Our audiologists:
- Prepare a detailed file;
- Assess hearing, hearing aid performance, and hearing skills with hearing aids;
- Assess candidates’ motivation and expectations.
The attending physician:
- Completes the medical assessment (detailed medical histories, ear examination [CT or MRI] as needed).
The assessment may also involve a psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and social worker.
In some cases, the results of a full assessment indicate that a cochlear implant is not appropriate. When this happens, the audiologist recommends other solutions and guides clients toward the appropriate resources.
When a candidate is accepted and wishes to meet with a surgeon, the audiologist supplies the information required for the subsequent steps:
- A detailed description and advice on choosing an implant manufacturer;
- A list of the vaccines required before the surgery (supplied to the client and the attending physician).
The audiologist coordinates the subsequent steps with the surgical centres outside the province.
One month after the surgery, the client receives the external part, and the implant is stimulated for the first time. A number of meetings with the audiologist are necessary to program and adjust the implant. At a minimum, visits are planned to activate the implant as well as one week, two weeks, one month, three months, six months, and one year after activation. Additional visits are often required depending on the client’s needs.
Depending on the client’s availability and interest, additional hearing rehabilitation sessions may also be offered. During these sessions, the audiologist may recommend hearing training activities, provide more in-depth information on the equipment and various accessories, explore the possibility of bimodal hearing (cochlear implant in one ear and hearing aid in the other), demonstrate and recommend assistive listening devices, discuss communication strategies, etc.
Rooms may be reserved at the Pavillon United Commercial Travellers, located near the hospital, for stays over one day.
We have a bank of equipment that can be loaned as needed. Our rehabilitation assistant coordinates requests for repairs, exchanges, or purchases with various manufacturers. She notifies clients when their initial guarantee comes to an end and may participate in the process of renewing a guarantee.
With a cochlear implant, it’s important to have the processor and programming checked at least once a year so you get the best possible performance and prevent problems.
The initial assessment, the operation, and the initial equipment are covered by New Brunswick Medicare. Travel and accommodation expenses for the appointments related to a cochlear implant are not covered.
The equipment is covered by a three-year manufacturer’s warranty. During this period, most components of the processor will be replaced free of charge if they stop working correctly. Some parts are not covered by the same warranty, and your audiologist will give you further information at the appropriate time.
After the initial three-year period, the patient is responsible for maintaining and replacing the equipment. A manufacturer’s extended warranty may be purchased. You will be advised when you have the option to purchase the extended warranty.
We have a financial assistance program for people who cannot pay for the extended warranty, accessories, or repairs. When the time comes, your audiologist or rehabilitation assistant can give you further information about this.
Professionals must communicate among themselves to provide more effective care and fully meet a client’s needs.
It is sometimes necessary to contact the centre that did a client’s surgery so that medical aspects of the surgery or complications can be managed.
