What Happens on Surgery Day

1. The procedure itself is relatively simple. The doctor makes an arch-shaped incision in the skin behind the ear to access the area where the implant will be placed and where the implant electrode will be inserted. Typically, the doctor will have a small area of hair shaved away from the incision site.
2. The doctor will create an area for the implant.
3. The doctor will insert the electrode into the tiny cochlea.
4. The doctor will then close the incision and apply a bandage. 

Waking Up From Surgery

After surgery, you will be wheeled into the recovery room. Waking up can include a feeling of grogginess and possibly a bit of nausea from the anesthesia and any prescribed sedatives.

Sometimes the doctor prescribes anti-nausea medication. There may be some soreness or tenderness from the incision and surgery, but it won’t last for long.

“I came prepared with a list of questions for my surgeon. The answers I received made me confident and reassured about my surgery.”
—Linda Binns, implanted at age 50

After Surgery
Depending on the situation and your doctor’s preference, you may go home the same day or may stay the night in the hospital. You should be provided with post-surgery guidelines, including bathing and bandage treatment instructions, medication procedures, and possible activity restrictions.

Make sure you understand and follow these post-surgery guidelines.

• You may receive antibiotics or other instructions to prevent infection.
• You will be instructed to watch for swelling, redness, fever, bleeding, and/or excessive pain. Any of these or other symptoms provided by your doctor could be signs of infection, which your doctor will want to treat immediately.
• Be sure that you have an emergency contact number to ask questions or in case you or your child need post-surgical treatment.
• The natural healing process will ensue—shaved hair will start growing back, discomfort and pain will subside, and other possible post-surgical symptoms typically dissipate.
• Follow your surgeon’s instructions. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification.

Adults often return to work or typical daily activities within a few days after surgery.
Most of all, your medical team will tell you what you need to know, but hopefully this information gives you a good foundation of what you can likely expect.

Time Between Surgery And Hearing With Your Harmony System
You will likely experience the post-surgery roller coaster of “hurry up and wait.” Getting over the surgery is a relief, exciting and the beginning of impatience! It typically takes two to four weeks for the incision to heal before your audiologist will fit the sound processor and program the Harmony HiResolution Bionic Ear system.

During the time between surgery and visiting your audiologist to program your Harmony System, you can expect additional hearing struggles or a hearing downtime. Be prepared, and prepare others to be patient, as you find yourself counting the days to initial stimulation—when the system is turned on.

Plan to use alternative methods and strategies for communication during this time, such as relying more heavily on lipreading and visual cues, using signing or gesturing, having pen and paper handy, using email, and arranging a communication buddy.

If only one ear is implanted, continue to wear a hearing aid in the other ear, even if minimally beneficial as it will still help you in your communications until initial stimulation. While it is common to feel anxious about this interim period, most people are able to accommodate sufficiently.

Turning On Your Harmony Bionic Ear
You will be making an appointment at the cochlear implant center to fit the cochlear implant sound processors and turn the system on with an initial programming session, also called hook-up, activation, or initial stimulation day. However your implant team refers to it, plain and simple, it is the first time sound is processed through the cochlear implants for hearing!

Next: Your First Cochlear Implant Fitting>>