Overview of Different Cochlear Implant Systems
Generally speaking, any cochlear implant system consists of three parts:
Internal components -- this is the part that is surgically implanted into the body. It consists of the internal device itself, which has the electronic circuits, and an electrode array, which is inserted into the cochlea and is used to deliver stimulation to the auditory nerve.
External processor -- this is the part that is worn on the outside. It contains a microphone and a computer which is used to process sound information before it is transmitted to the internal components.
Speech strategies -- the external component can be programmed in one of several different ways, which determines precisely how the sound information is handled and delivered through the electrode array to the auditory nerve.
These technology of these three parts--the internal components, external processor, and speech strategies--is different for each type of implant. The names used to describe them can be confusing at first--but it is important to become familiar with them before analyzing them and figuring out which one may be best for you. There are three primary cochlear implant manufacturers in the world (and about two other very small ones), end each one has different names for the parts described above:
| Internal Components |
External Processor (choose one) |
Speech Strategies |
|||
| Manufacturer | Internal Device | Electrode Array | Behind-the-Ear Processor |
Body-Worn Processor | |
| Advanced Bionics | Clarion CII Bionic Ear or HiRes 90k Implant | HiFocus | Auria BTE | Platinum Sound Processor | High Resolution, SAS, CIS, MPS |
| Cochlear Corp | Nucleus 24 | Contour | ESPrit 3G BTE | Sprint | ACE, CIS, SPEAK |
| Med-El | Combi 40+ | No Name (Straight) | Tempo+ BTE | (Modular Tempo+ BTE) | CIS+ |
In other words, a recipient could be described as having a Clarion HiRes 90k Implant with HiFocus and Auria BTE, using High Resolution. A Nucleus recipient could be described as having a Nucleus 24 Contour and ESPrit 3G BTE, using the ACE speech strategy. A Med-El recipient would have the Combi 40+ and Tempo+ BTE, using the CIS+ speech strategy. It is the combination of these components that accurately describes the whole cochlear implant system, and it is important to learn a little about each part before deciding which system may be best for you. When speaking to people about their experiences with an implant, is important to be aware of precisely what type of system and components they are using, since their experience may be different from yours if you will be receiving different components.
As technology develops, often new versions of one component of the system will come out while others remain the same--for instance, people who were implanted with a Nucleus 24 before 1998 received a Straight electrode array instead of a Contour electrode. Many CII Bionic Ear users have the older CII BTE instead of the newer Auria BTE. There are thousands of cochlear implant recipients with older generations of internal devices, such as the Clarion 1.0/1.2 or the Nucleus 22. Physiologically, the external processors and speech strategies are relatively easy to upgrade as new ones are developed, whereas the internal components are not since that would require surgery. For this reason, limitations on the capabilities of the internal components may limit the kinds of improvements that a cochlear implant recipient receives for years to come.
All three cochlear implant systems are of very good, but each has relative strengths and weaknesses. Deciding which one may be best for you depends on your priorities and which features are most important to you. Click here for a detailed comparison of the three systems and their relative strengths and weaknesses.