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C-NICE

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I am looking for any infromation on hybrid cochlear implants.
 
Ive posted about hybrid CI before. It's for those who have too much low frequency hearing but no high frequency hearing. The idea is to preserve most of the lows and that person will wear a HA to amplify the lows while using the CI for the highs. Personally id rather just get a transpositional HA(which I currently have) that will shift the highs down and save the $50,000 cost and avoid the risks of surgery and impairing my residual hearing. It's what im going to try when my HA is reprogrammed.
 
One of the nice things about the hybrid CI is that a person can still receive a standard CI if their hearing continues to deteriorate. I know someone who received a hybrid CI and later was implanted with a full electrode array CI. If I were in the position of having good low frequency hearing, but little or no hearing in the high frequencies, I'd opt for an MEI (middle ear implant).
 
That's two surgeries, one for the hybrid CI then a repeat surgery to remove that CI and upgrade it to a standard CI. The costs are huge as well. As for MEI, is it really better than a regular HA? I know for me a MEI would not be loud enough.
 
deafdude1 said:
That's two surgeries, one for the hybrid CI then a repeat surgery to remove that CI and upgrade it to a standard CI. The costs are huge as well. As for MEI, is it really better than a regular HA? I know for me a MEI would not be loud enough.
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Since I've never had an MEI, I can't answer your question.

However, I do know people who prefer the MEI because they no longer have to deal with constant ear infections or feedback.

The majority of the cost required to upgrade from a hybrid to a CI are paid for by insurance, so that really isn't an issue unless you are paying out of pocket.

deafdude, I already know your stance on hearing aids. You like hearing aids. I don't and decided to get CIs because I didn't feel like I was benefitting from them.

Keep in mind too that I'm totally blind, so I have no other means of alternative communication besides tactile sign unlike you who can rely on lipreading.

For me, an MEI would be a better choice than hearing aids. I'm also prone to severe and frequent ear infections, so that's yet another reason why an MEI would suit me best.
 
Thanks for explaining. So the occulsion of the earmold makes a person more suspectable to infections? As for feedback, todays HAs cancel this, never had a problem with it except with my old HAs with poorly fitting molds. Im actually wearing my old HA now to compare vs. my new one and the old HA is much more quiet. I can't hear the top 22 keys on my real piano in the house vs. 8 keys with the new HA. Also the feedback is very faint with my old HA.
 
I've not had an MEI, deafdude, so I won't presume to address that with hearsay or other opinions. I'm thinking you'd be better off with a professional (doctor's) insight. If you already know an MEI would not be loud enough, then you're on the right track. I hope you find what you are looking for, and good luck! Keep us posted. I'll be interested in reading about your results! :)
 
deafdude1 said:
Thanks for explaining. So the occulsion of the earmold makes a person more suspectable to infections? As for feedback, todays HAs cancel this, never had a problem with it except with my old HAs with poorly fitting molds. Im actually wearing my old HA now to compare vs. my new one and the old HA is much more quiet. I can't hear the top 22 keys on my real piano in the house vs. 8 keys with the new HA. Also the feedback is very faint with my old HA.
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What causes ear infections via hearing aids is the earmold due to moisture and bacteria (namely full shell earmolds, ITC, ITE and CIC aids).

As far as feedback is concerned, analog hearing aids do not have the same feedback cancelling system that digitals do.

Having said that, even though I had severe-profound loss and used skeleton earmolds, feedback wasn't a problem for me, but it is for others including those with milder losses.
 
deafdude1 said:
Thanks for explaining. So the occulsion of the earmold makes a person more suspectable to infections? As for feedback, todays HAs cancel this, never had a problem with it except with my old HAs with poorly fitting molds. Im actually wearing my old HA now to compare vs. my new one and the old HA is much more quiet. I can't hear the top 22 keys on my real piano in the house vs. 8 keys with the new HA. Also the feedback is very faint with my old HA.
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I have never had an ear infection. I have worn HAs all my life with full-sized or half-shell earmolds.

I also wouldn't say that today's HAs cancel out feedback. I have one analog, and one digital, and they're both quite new, and I get lots of feedback from either one on a very regular basis. And my earmolds are quite new, (and seemingly form-fitting) so .. not sure what to think on that -- that current HAs cancel out feedback.

Still interesting thoughts though, your post.
 
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deafdude,

I forgot to mention this in my previous post, but from what my CI audi told me, I have very small ears and ear canals which contributes to the fact that I have constant, severe ear infections.

Since there wasn't alot of room for my ears to "breathe" (mainly in the ear canal where the majority of my earmold was located) due to how narrow my ear canals are, this is what caused my ear infections.

Interestingly enough, I haven't had a single ear infection since I was implanted in 2004. :D
 
I always gets ear infection (3 or 4 times a year), Last year (April 2008) was the worst, my side of face swelled up, i ended up in hosp to be treated by IV for 5 days! then discharged on oral anti bios for further 10 days.

Touch wood i haven't had single mild infection since implanted!! :grin:
 
overthepond said:
I always gets ear infection (3 or 4 times a year), Last year (April 2008) was the worst, my side of face swelled up, i ended up in hosp to be treated by IV for 5 days! then discharged on oral anti bios for further 10 days.

Touch wood i haven't had single mild infection since implanted!! :grin:
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even now with your CI implanted?
 
You didn't read my post properly, I haven't had one since i was implanted not even a mild one. I was implanted july 2008
 
Hear Again said:
deafdude,

I forgot to mention this in my previous post, but from what my CI audi told me, I have very small ears and ear canals which contributes to the fact that I have constant, severe ear infections.

Since there wasn't alot of room for my ears to "breathe" (mainly in the ear canal where the majority of my earmold was located) due to how narrow my ear canals are, this is what caused my ear infections.

Interestingly enough, I haven't had a single ear infection since I was implanted in 2004. :D
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I have tiny ear canal as well (tiny enough that audi was shocked and said OMG! Your ear's tiny!) haha but never had ear infection since age 6 with full shell earmold :dunno:
Btw MEI is for conductive hearing loss to bypass the canal and middle ear to get to fully functional cochlea cell hair and hybrid is like CI but with shorter array to bypass damaged high and mid freq in cochlea and hearing aid to amplify functional low freq in cochlea. So they're not same thing :)
 
SkullChick said:
Btw MEI is for conductive hearing loss...
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The MEI specialist I saw said that they are also appropriate for those who have sensorineural hearing loss. I know this to be true since I have several friends with MEIs who have sensorineural hearing loss. The specialist I spoke to also said I would have qualified for an MEI if I would have had more residual hearing.
 
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