Cochlear Implant in Turkey

A cochlear Implant is an electronic device surgically implanted to help people with hearing loss. It is an electronic device that is used to treat people with profound hearing loss. Surgeons do the cochlear implant by placing the electronic device inside and outside the ear through surgery. In Turkey, many hospitals perform cochlear implants for people with hearing loss, and it is done by surgeons who are ENT specialists. The cochlear implant cost in Turkey ranges between 17,000 USD – 22,000 USD which is 58,281 TL – 124,888 TL. The cochlear implant does not improve natural Hearing in patients, but it helps them hear the sounds more clearly than they used to. It helps them hear speech sounds and communicate with people around them.

Cochlear Implant Cost in Turkey and other countries

The cochlear implant device alone costs between 15,000 USD- 35,000 USD; for the surgery and other expenses, the cost can range between 30,000 USD – 50,000 USD in other countries. The overall cost of a cochlear implant in Turkey ranges between 17,000 USD – 22,000 USD, considerably lower than the cost in other countries. In some countries, the overall cost of a cochlear implant is 50,000 USD – 100,000 USD, including surgery, device, and rehabilitation. The overall cost depends on various factors. In Turkey, hospitals also offer affordable packages for Cochlear Implants with a wide range of facilities and services.

Factors that Affect the Cost of Cochlear Implant Surgery in Turkey

Various factors affect the cost of cochlear implant surgery,

• The patient’s choice of the type of implant for hearing loss.
• The cost of the device that is implanted.
• The age of the patient and the extent of hearing loss.
• A double implant in both ears costs more than a single implant in one ear.
• The patient’s health is also considered before the implant, affecting the cost of cochlear implant surgery.
• The choice of doctor and Hospital also affects the cost of the implant, as each Hospital charges a different amount for the surgery.
• Complications may occur during the surgery. In such cases, extra charges may apply.

Hospitals for Cochlear Implant in Turkey

Hisar Intercontinental Hospital

Hisar Intercontinental Hospital is a multi-speciality hospital located in Istanbul, Turkey. This Hospital is certified by JCI or Joint Commission International. It provides high-quality healthcare with international standards of quality treatment and safety. Many people choose Hisar Intercontinental Hospital for cochlear implant surgery. The Hospital provides high-quality services for cochlear implants, and the patients who had their cochlear implants in this Hospital have positive reviews for the implant. Cochlear Implant cost begins from 20,100 USD in Hisar Intercontinental Hospital. The cochlear implant surgery is worth the cost in this Hospital and is recommended by past patients who got their cochlear implants in Hisar Intercontinental Hospital.

Memorial Sisli Hospital

Memorial Sisli Hospital is the largest multidisciplinary Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. JCI accredited the Hospital for providing treatment with high-quality also available for international patients. The Hospital provides advanced treatment for Cochlear Implants. The Cochlear Implant cost in Memorial Sisli Hospital starts from 27,000 USD. The patients who have visited Memorial Sisli Hospital with hearing loss have been provided various treatments with successful results. People prefer this Hospital to treat various medical conditions. Many people prefer the Hospital for its treatment and high-quality services.

Medicana Atasehir Hospital

Medicana Atasehir Hospital is a multidisciplinary hospital and one of the Medicana Group of Hospitals located in Istanbul, Turkey. Medicana Atasehir Hospital meets healthcare and quality and service standards of the JCI and Turkish Ministry of Health. This Hospital provides healthcare for International Patients. Cochlear Implant surgery is provided in this Hospital for people who have profound hearing loss. In Medicana Atasehir Hospital, the cost of a Cochlear Implant ranges between 20,000 USD – 27,000 USD. There are positive reviews for cochlear implants given by past patients in Medicana Atasehir Hospital.

Memorial Antalya Hospital

Memorial Antalya Hospital is a private hospital located in Antalya, Turkey. It is a multidisciplinary hospital specialising in medical and radiation oncology, general, plastic, and reconstruction surgery. Memorial Antalya Hospital has highly skilled doctors and meets international medical treatment standards, healthcare quality and safety according to the JCI. A Cochlear Implant costs 19,000 USD in Memorial Antalya Hospital. The Hospital provides high-quality healthcare and has an international department in the Hospital for foreign patients. People with hearing loss are successfully treated using Cochlear Implant surgery at Memorial Antalya Hospital.

Why Choose Turkey for Cochlear Implant?

Turkey is one of the most preferred locations for treating medical conditions. It has some of the best medical and healthcare services and facilities for patients worldwide. Cochlear Implant Surgery in Turkey is more advanced and affordable than in most countries. Pre-evaluation tests are done for Cochlear Implants to ensure that the person with hearing loss will benefit from a cochlear implant. The patients are also provided rehabilitation after surgery. The audiologists also help the patients learn and relearn the sounds after the surgery, as it takes longer to adjust to the sounds around them. People prefer to go to Turkey to get their cochlear implants as the hospitals in Turkey provide more advanced treatment for a low price with successful results.

Cochlear implant vs Hearing Aid

Hearing Aid and Cochlear implants are tools that help people with hearing loss. A hearing aid is an external electronic device that helps a person with severe hearing problems. A hearing aid is used by someone who has difficulty in hearing sounds and speech sounds around them. They have difficulty communicating with others, and using a hearing aid helps them communicate. A hearing aid amplifies the sounds so that the patient can hear the sounds around them. It does not connect to the nerves in the ear. It is fixed outside the ear and can be removed when not used.

Cochlear implants are also an electronic device that helps people with severe hearing problems or people who are deaf. A cochlear implant has two portions. The external portion of the device is placed behind the ear. The internal portion is surgically placed inside the skull and the cochlea. A hearing aid is a single device that can be inserted and removed when not in use, but a cochlear implant has a portion that is surgically inserted inside the ear and cannot be removed when not in use. Only a part of the external portion can be removed. Both hearing aids and cochlear implants do not restore normal Hearing. It helps the patient hear the sounds around them better than they used to and helps them converse with others and understand speech.

Cochlear Implants

A cochlear implant is an electronic device placed behind the patient’s ear to help a person with severe hearing loss hear the sounds around them. A cochlear implant has two portions. The external portion is placed behind the ear of the person. The internal portion is surgically placed inside the ear and cannot be removed. An implant has parts that help in speech sounds.

A microphone: The sound in the environment is picked up by a microphone. It is connected to the speech processor that is placed behind the ear.

A speech processor: A speech processor is placed behind the ear. A speech processor selects the sound from the environment and arranges the sounds picked up by the microphone placed outside the ear.

A transmitter: The transmitter is placed outside the skin, and a stimulator is placed inside the skin. Both are connected and receive sound and signals from the speech processor. The signals are converted into electric impulses. The transmitter has an external portion as well as an internal portion.

An electrode array: An electrode array is placed inside the cochlea, and the electrode collects the electric impulses that are received by the transmitter and stimulator, and it is then sent to different regions of the auditory nerve to the brain.

Procedure for Cochlear Implant

Before Cochlear implant surgery:

The medical team performs a series of tests, including:

• The external, middle, and inner ear are completely evaluated to check for infection or abnormalities in the ear.
• An audiogram Hearing test is done to determine the extent of Hearing.
• A hearing aid is used before trying a cochlear implant.
• Tests of the middle and inner ear to evaluate structures of the inside.
• Imaging scans such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT (Computed Tomography) scan to check the health of the cochlea to see if it has a normal shape.
• These tests determine the health of the cochlea and also see if the person has meningitis infection. It helps detect the presence of new bone growth in the cochlea that could interfere with the device used for implantation.
• The person’s ability to cope with a cochlear implant is also determined by psychologically examining the person.

Tests done before Cochlear Implant

Hearing Tests: An audiologist tests the extent of your hearing loss. The test is done to understand your ability to hear speech and sounds with hearing aids and without it. The hearing tests may also include auditory brain stem response, which determines how the cochlea or inner ear and the brain pathways for hearing work. The connection between the brain and the inner ear is tested before performing a cochlear implant.

Vestibular test battery: Cochlea or inner ear also manages balance in Hearing. Vestibular tests are done to evaluate the health of your inner ear.

Imaging tests: MRI or CT scan examines your inner ear structure.

During cochlear implant surgery:

The cochlear implant surgery takes around 1 to 4 hours, and the procedure is as follows:

• General anaesthesia is given to the patient so they do not feel pain and are unconscious during the surgery.
• The nurses with monitors and patches regularly check the patient’s vital signs. Intravenous (IV) lines will be inserted into the veins to manage drugs or fluids during surgery.
• The scalp area where the implant will be placed is cleaned or shaved.
• An incision will be made to access the mastoid bone behind the ear, drilled to get to the inner ear.
• The electrode is placed inside the inner ear or cochlea.
• The incision on the scalp is stitched and covered with a dressing.
• The incision on the scalp takes about 4 weeks post-operation to heal completely. The implant is turned on after the incision has healed.

After cochlear implant surgery:

• Many patients get discharged and go home the same day as surgery, and sometimes they must stay in the Hospital overnight for observation.
• Within 2-3 days post-surgery most patients continue their normal day-to-day activities.
• There might be changes in the balance canal function as the implant is inserted into the inner ear.
• Adult patients may feel dizzy for about a week or more after the operation.

Risks of Cochlear Implants

Loss of natural Hearing: People who could hear little sounds might lose their ability due to the implant. The person loses the remaining natural Hearing in the ear implanted after cochlear implant surgery.

Meningitis: Meningitis is a condition with inflammation around the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain. It occurs after cochlear implant surgery. To reduce the risk of Meningitis, vaccinations are provided before the surgery. The risk of Meningitis is rare in cochlear implant surgery.

Failure of the cochlear implant device: In rare cases, the cochlear implant device fails to work. The fault in the internal portion of the cochlear implant is repaired through surgical means.

Tinnitus: Though the risk of getting Tinnitus is rare, it may occur in some patients when they hear worsened new noise that keeps ringing after the cochlear implant surgery.

Facial Paralysis on the Side of the implanted ear: Facial Paralysis is rare and does not occur after a cochlear implant. One out of a thousand people with cochlear implants might face this issue.

Other rare complications of cochlear implants: Bleeding in the place where the surgery is done, fault in the device, infection caused by the device, infection at the stitch behind the ear and bleeding, Spinal fluid leak, problems in taste, and dizziness.

Success rate of Cochlear Implants in Turkey

In adults, a cochlear implant is preferred for hearing loss. Post-lingual hearing loss is when the adult loses their hearing ability due to external factors or old age, preferably later in life. These people could hear the sounds around them before being affected by hearing loss. Around 82% of adults with postlingual hearing loss who had cochlear implants improved their speech perception by 15%. Prelingual hearing loss is when the person has hearing loss from birth or as an infant. In this condition, people with hearing loss may have hearing loss for a long time and may not have heard any sounds in the environment. Around 53.4% of adults with prelingual hearing loss have improved their speech perception by 15% after cochlear implant surgery. This shows that people with post-lingual hearing loss have a higher success rate after cochlear implant surgery. Children under 8 months who have cochlear implants have a higher success rate and learn speech like normal children. The overall success rate of Cochlear Implants is 95% in Turkey.

Insurance

Cochlear Implants are a standard treatment for severe to profound hearing loss and nerve deafness. Most Insurance companies cover the cost of Cochlear Implants. It is advised to check with the Insurance companies for the package of cochlear implants. Most Insurance companies cover the cost of a cochlear implant for tests, surgery and rehabilitation. Some companies also cover the cost of hospital stays. In rare cases of a failure in Cochlear Implant surgery, the insurance covers the cost of repair and surgery if required.

Reviews of Cochlear Implants in Turkey

• Cochlear implant Surgery is very safe and is done in children and adults with a higher success rate.
• People who had cochlear implants have improved their speech within a year after the implant.
• Cochlear Implant has made life easier for people who had hearing loss.
• People who found it difficult to communicate with others improved their speech and found it easy to converse with people around them after the implant.
• After receiving a Cochlear Implant, most Tinnitus people had less ringing in their ears as the device suppressed the ringing.
• Most patients benefited from cochlear implants and significantly changed their lives.

FAQs on Cochlear Implant in Turkey