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Cochlear Implants

Imagine being able to hear what a loved one is saying in a crowded store. Imagine talking on the phone again. For people with hearing loss, it can be a dream. Med Center Health was the first healthcare system in Southcentral Kentucky to pioneer Cochlear Implants to make those dreams come true.


Patients Report Cochlear Implants are Life-Changing

Cochlear Implants are the latest scientific answer to hearing loss. Med Center Health ENT was the first to bring this leading-edge technology to Southcentral Kentucky.

Similar to hearing aids, cochlear implants are a high-tech solution to enhance sounds for a person with hearing loss. The difference is an electrode is surgically implanted in the inner ear – into the cochlea. The electrode connects to a processor, which normally attaches behind the ear, and a special hearing aid goes into the ear.

The implant replaces the function of damaged sensory hair cells in the inner ear, mimicking natural hearing. In many patients, it’s helped them to understand speech, even in a noisy room.

Following surgery, patients are paired with an Audiologist who takes them through a rehab training period where they learn to use the implant and train their brain to get meaningful benefit from the sound it receives. So life-changing is the process that many patients report they can even talk on the phone again. Learn more by calling (270) 782-7768.

in the news

Read about Med Center Health otolaryngologist Andrew Ebelhar, MD, one of the first in the nation to perform the Osia System implant.