Cochlear Implant Center

Hearing loss can affect how you connect with others and experience the world around you. In many cases, hearing aids help, but if your hearing loss is more severe, they may not be enough. While hearing aids make sounds louder, they don’t always help you understand words clearly. But there is hope. 

At WMCHealth, our Cochlear Implant Center offers advanced options for adults and children who may not benefit from hearing aids. We are the first center in New York to perform robotic-assisted cochlear implant surgery. This gives you access to greater precision and gentler techniques to protect your hearing. Our expert ENT specialists combine leading-edge innovation with compassionate care so you can hear more clearly and live more fully. 

How Does a Cochlear Implant Work?

It has two main parts: 

• External components: a microphone, speech processor, and transmitter 
• Internal components: a receiver and thin electrode array placed in your cochlea (inner ear) 

Here’s how the two parts of the implant work together: 

1. The microphone picks up sound and sends it to the speech processor. 
2. The speech processor converts sound into digital signals. 
3. The transmitter sends those signals through the skin the internal receiver. 
4. The receiver transmits the signal to the electrodes in your cochlea. 
5. The electrodes stimulate your hearing nerve, allowing your brain to interpret sound. 

After surgery, your external processor is programmed (or “mapped”) and usually worn behind your ear. You may choose a body-worn or head-worn processor, depending on what works best for you.