Cochlear implant surgery is Safe!!

Pinky said:
I never hear of children died from CI surgery. Where did you hear it from?? Show me the link.

My third cousin had CI surgery 3 times. He is fine and still alive. Because He took vaccination before surgery.
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here was an interesting article posted today on The Australian about research studies on why CI users are susceptible to meningitis. It’s definitely worthwhile to read:

THE brain is an incredibly fragile organ. Evolution certainly thinks so — it has surrounded this mass of nerves and cells with a solid case of bone to guard against physical trauma, and lined its blood vessels with an almost impermeable membrane to guard against chemical and biological threats.

As long as these defences remain unbreached, the brain is relatively safe.

But sometimes they have to be breached. Cochlear implants bypass damaged hearing systems to directly stimulate the auditory nerves, but to enable this, surgeons must drill through the bone and implant electrodes deep within the inner ear, where they come into direct contact with the nerves.

It is testament to the careful design of implants and the skill of the surgeon that this procedure and the device are so safe. But in June 2002, something went wrong. The US Food and Drug Administration began getting reports of bacterial meningitis in children who had received a cochlear implant. Their investigation revealed a 30-fold increase in the risk of bacterial meningitis compared to the general population, especially in children with a particular US-designed cochlear implant that included a “positioner” — a tiny wedge that held the implanted electrode against the wall of the inner ear.

The discovery led to swift withdrawal of that design of implant.
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Cochlear Implant Online

That's just one link. I am not anti CI, but there are certainly risks with it just like most surgery.
 
What we would consider as "life-saving"... would be transplant surgery. emergency surgery and so on. Things that if you don't correct things, the person would die within the next few months, if not hours, weeks or days.

Cochlear implants are considered as elective. I had a knee surgery at 14 or 15, that was elective; I didn't need it corrected but I had a weird growth plate in my left knee. I had a hernia as a baby, that was an emergency.
 
CI is borderline elective. It's not the same kind of elective as lasik, breast implants, plastic surgery, botox, cosmetic surgery, etc. that has to do with vainity. CI is intended to improve your sense of hearing. In my case, I seek to achieve the same with stem cells but stem cells isn't even considered surgery.

Why Did Katie Engle Die?

Why Did Katie Engle Die?

Cochlear Implants Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination FDA Warning

Bacterial Meningitis Kills Two Children with Cochlear Implants, Prompting FDA Warning.

Always get the vaccine to reduce your risk!
 
Pinky said:
(sighing) I am tired of members keep saying CI is not life-saving during operative. This is minor risk during surgery. The non-CI people know NOTHING about CI's surgeon. The important is get Vaccination for anti-bacterial and meningitis in 2 weeks before surgery. You don't have to worry about it.

I'm not impress with the lady from YouTube sn is Agaubo's Vlog about FDA: Shocking results on cochlear implant stats. She is WRONG!!!! I talked with my doctors, audiologist and medical expert about success rate for CI. They showed me the facts. I have the links on my blog website. I am not sharing with anti-CI people. Because they are very narrow-mind about CI. I'm sorry!
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Pinky,

I understand what you are saying but remember these are the arguments that are left because they can no longer argue about the ci's effectiveness. I believe that there was a death several years ago, not during the surgery itself, but later after the child contracted menigitis. There was an issue, overlooked or igored by the anti-ci crowd of course, of whether the parents had followed through with timely anti-menigitis vaccinations.

This "not life saving" argument is a rather weak one, are they prepared to follow their position to its logical extreme and deny all non-life threatening surgeries until the child reaches the age of majority. Since when did the standard for having surgery be raised to the requirement that it had to be life-threatening before it could be done?

A child died in my county a few years back undergoing a minor dental surgical procedure, guess that should also be stopped as well.

Yes, people have their opinions and if one thinks the risks of the surgery outweigh its benefits, then do not elect the ci for either yourself or for your child. What the anti-ci crowd cannot seem to come to grips with is that not all of us feel the same. They need to stop trying to impose their views on others
Rick
 
Actually, I retract my reaction to pinky's first sentence. I didn't realize it was meant to be phrased as "CI is not dangerous," oppose to "CI is not life-saving." My mistake, it just threw me off as odd. My apologize.

I thought she meant that CI is a life-saving operation that would prevent a child from dying, but I realize that she actually meant that CI is not life-threatening as potrayed by "anti-CI" bloggers, which should be held separately from the "pro-choice" bloggers. But yes, the "anti-CI" bloggers do have a bad spin in that they try to fear-mongrel people into thinking any surgery near the head is bad.
 
souggy said:
Actually, I retract my reaction to pinky's first sentence. I didn't realize it was meant to be phrased as "CI is not dangerous," oppose to "CI is not life-saving." My mistake, it just threw me off as odd. My apologize.

I thought she meant that CI is a life-saving operation that would prevent a child from dying, but I realize that she actually meant that CI is not life-threatening as potrayed by "anti-CI" bloggers, which should be held separately from the "pro-choice" bloggers. But yes, the "anti-CI" bloggers do have a bad spin in that they try to fear-mongrel people into thinking any surgery near the head is bad.
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What anti-Ci bloggers? Is that on another forum? Are they extreme?
 
shel90 said:
What anti-Ci bloggers? Is that on another forum? Are they extreme?
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You know, the typical "if you have a cochlear implant, you're not Deaf" type crowd... video bloggers. It's different from the stance you and I share.

Same rhetoric from 10 years ago? Maybe 20? I wasn't old enough to remember things from more than 15 years ago.
 
shel90 said:
Oh boy..thanks for the FYI.
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Nah. I don't think it's anything new? The only reason why I make things look more extreme than they really are in my posts is because I pick on people that are on the fringes, because I can't stand some of the stuff sprouted out-- even though 99% of the population would just brush it off.

It only pops up now and then, so I don't think it is a cause for concern, but you know... all it take is one receptive person to believe everything they see, hear or read.
 
souggy said:
Nah. I don't think it's anything new? The only reason why I make things look more extreme than they really are in my posts is because I pick on people that are on the fringes, because I can't stand some of the stuff sprouted out-- even though 99% of the population would just brush it off.

It only pops up now and then, so I don't think it is a cause for concern, but you know... all it take is one receptive person to believe everything they see, hear or read.
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I am sure it is not new. I dont watch video loggers but now I can understand what Pinky is talking about. I was confused at first because nobody here is sprouting anti-CI propandanga.

Just going against the title of the topic that CI surgery is safe. I think it is misleading. All surgery carries risks..all of them.
 
shel90 said:
There was a thread about it here a few years ago. It is somewhere in the CI section. The girl died from bacterial mengities from the surgery or something like that. She was only 8 years old.
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Oh yes, I think I remember that thread.
 
shel90 said:
Just going against the title of the topic that CI surgery is safe. I think it is misleading. All surgery carries risks..all of them.
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Exactly. I had to undergo hearth surgery the day after X-Mas last year and it was not without it's risks.

My CI doctor (a diabetic himself) refused to operate on me unless I had my diabetes under control so there certainly was a risk there.
 
Souggy,

You say that if we want to make a comparison that we should use what you believe to be the true comparison. I then do that and now you say it's religous or philosoophical and won't answer the questions I put to you.

souggy said:
......................I won't answer the question in post #83, because that is not in the realm of cultural or medical debate, but purely a religious or philosophical one. We are not suppose to talk about religions on the forum, nor is it appropriate for a debate; and in philosophical debates, they usually go nowhere on forums........
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rick48 said:
.............It does not surprise me at all that you refuse to answer Rockdrummer's questions.
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souggy said:
Then stop making fallacious examples.
Because religious comments are not allowed on the forum.
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There is nothing religous about the comments in post #83. Here it is again for your review. Please show me anything religous about it. It's your comparison. Remember? All I am asking you to do is put yourself in the shoes of a parent faced with the decision in the example that you insist we should use to be a true comparison.

rockdrummer said:
OK. lets use your example. You have a child that is blind and opt for an eye implant or surgury or whatever is availabe to restore vision to your child. Would you think anyone is justified in telling you that you should not go through with it when you believe it is in the best interest of your child? Would it be anyones right to interfere with your decision? Would it be right for anyone to tell you that the reasons you are trying to restore your childs vision is because you don't accept your child for who they are when in fact they have no idea what went into the decision making process? Would it be right for the culturally blind to reject your child because you chose to get eye surgury? The real question is does anyone have the right to interfere with ANY decision a parent makes in the best interest of their child?

The other thing you have to remember is that not all deaf folks are "culturally deaf" And even within the deaf culture there are extremie to liberal views just as their are in any culture. Not all deaf people agree with the D/deaf extreme or ultra-consertive views.
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rockdrummer said:
Would you think anyone is justified in telling you that you should not go through with it when you believe it is in the best interest of your child? Would it be anyones right to interfere with your decision? Would it be right for anyone to tell you that the reasons you are trying to restore your childs vision is because you don't accept your child for who they are when in fact they have no idea what went into the decision making process? Would it be right for the culturally blind to reject your child because you chose to get eye surgury? The real question is does anyone have the right to interfere with ANY decision a parent makes in the best interest of their child?
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I know this may not the perspective you're looking for, but it's what I've got.

Though I am choosing not to implant my child, I would NEVER take it upon myself to discourage and/or sway another parent's/person's choice. I will give my opinion or experience if asked. (I hold this practice for everything from parenting to religion to politics.) I will support any decision made, celebrate the successes and lament the hardships, even though it's not a choice I would have made. It's not my job to lecture/preach at others and I appreciate the same in return. If you ask my opinion I'll give it to you. If you disagree, that's fine. It's YOUR responsibility to do what's right for you and yours.

Do I think it's okay that this happens? Of course not. I think it's even worse that children are getting caught in the middle. I think it's wrong that members of a culture/group would alienate a person, especially a child, for such petty reasons.
 
WeeBeastie said:
I know this may not the perspective you're looking for, but it's what I've got.

Though I am choosing not to implant my child, I would NEVER take it upon myself to discourage and/or sway another parent's/person's choice. I will give my opinion or experience if asked. (I hold this practice for everything from parenting to religion to politics.) I will support any decision made, celebrate the successes and lament the hardships, even though it's not a choice I would have made. It's not my job to lecture/preach at others and I appreciate the same in return. If you ask my opinion I'll give it to you. If you disagree, that's fine. It's YOUR responsibility to do what's right for you and yours.

Do I think it's okay that this happens? Of course not. I think it's even worse that children are getting caught in the middle. I think it's wrong that members of a culture/group would alienate a person, especially a child, for such petty reasons.
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No it is exactly what I believe too. Live and let live. What it comes to parenting decisions, let the parents do what they feel is in the best interest of their unique child in their unique circumstances. I am for choice.
 
shel90 said:
There was a thread about it here a few years ago. It is somewhere in the CI section. The girl died from bacterial mengities from the surgery or something like that. She was only 8 years old.
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I believe that her parent forgot to get her vaccination before surgery. And plus CI brand was recalled. This is new law for all CI and other patients must get vaccination before surgery It will be safe.
 
deafdude1 said:
CI is borderline elective. It's not the same kind of elective as lasik, breast implants, plastic surgery, botox, cosmetic surgery, etc. that has to do with vainity. CI is intended to improve your sense of hearing. In my case, I seek to achieve the same with stem cells but stem cells isn't even considered surgery.

Why Did Katie Engle Die?

Why Did Katie Engle Die?

Cochlear Implants Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination FDA Warning

Bacterial Meningitis Kills Two Children with Cochlear Implants, Prompting FDA Warning.

Always get the vaccine to reduce your risk!
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I read it before. It was old news.
 
It's also noteworthy that only the one brand of CI (with rubber positioner) was the one with increased risks and that particular make of CI (with the positioner) was taken off the market. It's interesting how that gets interpreted by some to mean all CI's bring increased risk of menengitis when that is absolutly false.

In 2006, the FDA issued letters to patients and doctors that deaf children who have a Cochlear implant with a positioner are likely get bacterial meningitis more frequently than either children with the implants that don’t have the small rubber wedge or those without implants at all. Only one Cochlear implant has a positioner and that device was withdrawn from the market in July 2002.
In its latest health alert, the FDA said that two children – ages 9 and 11 – with Cochlear implants had died from bacterial meningitis in the past year. Neither had been fully immunized against the disease, and both had Cochlear implants with positioners.
Source: Cochlear Implants Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination FDA Warning
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All parents should have their child immunized against meningitis regardless of their hearing / deaf status. Bacterial menengitis can kill quickly. It doesn't care if you are hearing or deaf and it doesn't care if you have a CI or not.
 
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