New York Resident Expected To Regain Hearing in Both Ears for the First Time in Over 40 Years
Denver (July 25, 2008) - Cochlear, the world's leader in advanced hearing technologies, today announced a landmark milestone when Dr. Thomas Roland, Jr., MD of NYU Langone Medical Center performs the 120,000th cochlear implant device procedure. Today, 72-year-old New York resident, Susan Grossman, will undergo surgery to receive bilateral (a device in each ear) Nucleus® Freedom cochlear implants.
Cochlear implants have the ability to restore hearing for individuals who are severely hard of hearing and for whom hearing aids don't help much, and those who are profoundly deaf. A cochlear implant is a device, which bypasses damaged hair cells in the inner ear, or cochlea, that stimulates the hearing nerve directly, effectively restoring hearing to individuals. These devices are a proven medical option for adults and children as young as twelve months old.
"Cochlear implants are the most effective treatment for people with severe to profound hearing loss and are becoming the standard of care globally," said Dr. Roland. "In fact, it is becoming common practice for people to now receive a device in both ears, as the clinical evidence clearly demonstrates the benefit. At NYU, we do more than five implants per week and this continues to grow each year." The NYU team of audiologists currently manage about 1800 recipients.
"Cochlear implants are the only medical device designed to restore one of the five human senses. With this technology, people with severe to profound hearing loss no longer have to live in a world of silence," said Chris Smith, President Cochlear Americas. "We celebrate this milestone with the dedicated clinicians who have helped us to positively impact the lives of so many people, like Susan Grossman, with the gift of hearing. An estimated 1 million people in the United States could benefit from this technology, yet less than 10 percent of those who qualify actually have a cochlear implant. It is important that we educate and inform the general public about this life changing technology."
When asked what she is most looking forward to after receiving her implants, Susan Grossman responded,"I'm really excited to be able to do everything that I did before without having to think about whether I'll be able to hear."
Since the first commercial implant in 1982, cochlear implants have become the standard of care for people who have severe to profound hearing loss. Approximately 400 institutions in the United States now provide this advanced technology. This technology is covered by the majority of private carriers as well as by Medicare and Medicaid for appropriate candidates.
To commemorate this milestone, Cochlear will launch a Web page to celebrate Susan's activation. Cochlear is inviting other recipients, family members, friends and professional partners to join Susan by sharing the details of their experiences with sound via an Interactive map of North America at: www.CochlearAmericas.com/Susan.
For more information about Cochlear's products, visit the website at www.cochlear.com. You may also visit the Cochlear Web Channel on Audiology Online.
