What happens during cochlear implant surgery?

After a general anaesthetic, your surgeon makes a small incision on the side of your head. Sometimes they shave a small amount of hair.

Your surgeon then places the implant under your skin and inserts the electrode array into your inner ear. Tests are run to ensure the implant is working.

When your surgeon confirms everything is fine, they close the incision. They often use dissolvable stitches, so you may have no stitches to remove later.

How long does a cochlear implant operation take?

Getting a cochlear implant usually takes about one to two hours per ear.

How long does it take to recover from a cochlear implant operation?

After surgery, you or your child go to a recovery area until your anaesthesia wears off. This generally take a few hours. When you or your child wakes up, there is a bandage around your/their head. This will be removed before you go home.

As this happens, you may feel a little pressure or discomfort around your implant area and it may be a little numb. Once your medical team is happy with your recuperation, you can go home.

You should discuss with your surgeon beforehand how many days you may need to prepare to take off work after the operation, although recovery is usually quite quick.

Your doctor will let you know when they can activate your implant by turning on your sound processor. This waiting period is to let the implant area heal.