|
|
|
Candidate
Evaluation Process
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Who
is a Candidate?
|
The Evaluation Process
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Who
is a Candidate?
|
|
|
|
Saying
that a patient is a candidate for a cochlear implant means they
should obtain significantly better hearing ability from a cochlear
implant than they can from the most optimally fitted hearing aids.
Current cochlear implant technology works so well that the
candidacy criteria is expanding rapidly. The following are
generally accepted candidate criteria. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Age:
12 months or older |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Children:
Profound hearing loss in both ears |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adults:
Severe or profound hearing loss. When tested with optimally fitted
hearing aids - failure to hear achieve hearing thresholds of
better than 40db at all frequencies or word understanding, scores
of 50% of greater. |
|
|
|
|
|
No
medical contradictions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
motivation and appropriate expectations |
|
|
|
|
|
Involved
in an educational or training program that emphasize auditory
skills and oral communication. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Evaluation Process
|
|
|
|
|
Detailed
testing and evaluation is needed to determine if it is better for
a patient to continue to use hearing aids or whether it is best to
proceed with cochlear implementation. The following steps describe
the typical process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Step 1
|
When
the patient or the parents of the patient contacts our office, a
history is obtained by phone or email to determine whether or not
a cochlear implant evaluation is appropriate. This includes the
history of hearing aid use, educational setting, history of speech
or auditory-verbal therapy, and any other medical conditions or
learning disabilities. If hearing tests are available, they can be
faxed or mailed to our office for review. If a cochlear implant
evaluation is appropriate, an appointment for an audiometric
evaluation and counseling session is scheduled. Detailed written
educational information is mailed to the individual or family to
be reviewed prior to the appointment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Step 2
|
An
extensive audiologic evaluation is performed with and without
hearing aids. In the case of infants and young children, this may
include tests such as ABR and OAE to obtain objective measures of
response of the hearing system to sound. Some evaluations may
required more than one session to complete. Click
here to see explanations of the various tests used to assess
the function of the ear and hearing system.
After the testing is completed, the
audiologist will counsel the patient or parents of the patient
about their candidacy for a cochlear implant. They will be
educated about the various device options and discuss the rest of
the evaluation process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Step 3
|
An
appointment will be scheduled with Dr. Peters to initiate a
medical evaluation. After obtaining a history and performing a
physical examination, Dr. Peters will counsel the patient or
parents of the patient concerning their candidacy. If all parties
are ready to proceed with a cochlear implant, the final details
are scheduled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Step 4
|
The
final details are not performed unless the patient, parents, and
cochlear implant team members agree to proceed toward cochlear
implant surgery. The nurse will schedule the patient for a CAT
scan of the ears. Evaluations will also be scheduled with our
auditory-verbal therapist and psychologist. The purpose of these
evaluations is to determine the current verbal ability of the
patient and to evaluate the entire family system in order to be
sure that there is a stable home and social environment conductive
with the demanding programming and therapy schedule that will be
required after surgery. While these evaluations are pending, our
insurance coordinator will be working on obtaining insurance
approval. Once all these steps have been completed, the
surgery will be scheduled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
