Implantable Hearing Devices

Bone conduction hearing aids are an excellent option for those who aren’t able to wear traditional hearing aids, still have hearing in one ear or in situations where patient’s external or middle ears cannot conduct sound properly. Studies show that over 85% of patient enjoy and wear their device long after implantation. ⁽¹⁾

Bone conduction devices work by driving sound directly through a patients bone into the inner ear rather than directing sound into the ear canal. The sound is driven into both the implanted side and the opposite ear. For people who are deaf on one side, it allows sound to be transferred to their good ear. For people with hearing on that side, it allows sound to bypass problems in their ear canal or middle ear.

Ponto (Oticon)
Image courtesy of oticonmedical.com

Traditional cochlear implants are an implantable device that converts sound into electrical stimulation that is directed by a tiny electrode placed into the inner ear. There are decades of experience in adults and children with excellent patient satisfaction in treating severe to profound hearing loss. (2) (3) Most private insurers are now approving second side cochlear implants to allow for better understanding of speech in noisy situations and better awareness of sound direction. For patients with hearing loss on both sides. Stanford offers all cochlear implant devices provided by the major cochlear implant companies, Cochlear, Med-El and Advanced Bionics.