COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION IN IRAN

Cochlear implantation has become an increasingly common procedure in the rehabilitation of selected cases of profound deafness.' Patients should have profound total bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Sound is transformed into small electric currents which stimulate the auditory nerves in the cochlea and generate the hearing sensation. The nucleus cochlear implant is the result of more than 20 years of research and development and has been used in more than 9000 patients worldwide to date.' After two years of research in order to provide the cochlear implant in the Farsi (Persian) language, three out of 54 post lingual totally deaf patients up to now have undergone the cochlear implant operation with a 22-channel mini-system through a Lehnhardt incision, mastoidectomy, facial recess, and cochleostomy procedure.3-4 One month following the implant, these patients were undergoing speech education and auditory training by using innovative rehabilitation techniques for deaf people in the Persian language. This report deals with presenting three cases implanted by a cochlear implantation team in [ran and the results of rehabilitation following implant.