Surgery

Surgery is performed at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital by Dr. Scott Thompson under general anesthesia with facial nerve monitoring. The surgery lasts approximately 2-3 hours. An incision is made within the hairline above and behind the ear. A small amount of hair is shaved prior to surgery. The incision is closed using sutures and a compression dressing is placed over the site.

Pictured below is the cochlear implant internal electrode array that is placed during surgery.

What to Expect After Surgery

The initial healing period lasts approximately 10 days after which the sutures are removed. The site will have some edema (swelling), which will typically resolve after one month.

The initial hook-up of the external speech processor is typically scheduled for 3-4 weeks post surgery.