Cochlear implants are amazing. I can’t think of any other device that takes such a profound sensory loss and provides such benefit.
Table of Contents
- From Childhood Dreams to Adult Realities: My Resilient Hearing Journey with Cochlear Implant Revision Surgery
- Getting a Cochlear Implant as a Baby
- Facing Challenges with Revision Surgeries
- My second revision surgery
- How my cochlear implant revision surgeries affected my future
- Choosing Advanced Bionics cochlear implants
- A Bright Future
Matthew’s Journey with Cochlear Implant Revision Surgery
Thursday, February 13, 2025
From Childhood Dreams to Adult Realities: My Resilient Hearing Journey with Cochlear Implant Revision Surgery
Cochlear implants are amazing life-changing devices that have had a profound impact on my life. Without access to my Advanced Bionics cochlear implants, I would have never developed spoken language, gained music appreciation, or been able to hear the everyday sounds that we all take for granted. It is fair to say that these are truly remarkable devices. However, my journey has not been without its challenges, having experienced two cochlear implant revision surgeries. That being said, I have learned to overcome these hurdles with optimism and gratitude. I want to share my story not just to highlight the transformative power of cochlear implants and the process of cochlear implant revision surgery but also to encourage others who might be facing similar experiences.
Getting a Cochlear Implant as a Baby
I was born with a profound hearing loss in both ears, completely deaf. At the time, my parents were not aware of my hearing loss. However, concerns began to arise about my behavior and overall unresponsiveness, which prompted my parents to get my hearing checked. At 11 months of age, I was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. This came as a shock to my parents as no one in my family had a history of hearing loss.
My parents had to make a big decision regarding my future; they had to decide whether I was going to use sign language or spoken language with cochlear implants. My family made the choice to pursue the cochlear implants and develop my spoken language. I was implanted with my first cochlear implant on my left ear in 2001, when I was 1-year-and-11-months-old.
My family made the choice to pursue cochlear implants and develop my spoken language.
At the time, less was known about language development and performance for prelingually deafened (hearing loss prior to language acquisition) children with cochlear implants. As a result, my parents and hearing health team took a more conservative approach to my language development, and I learned sign and spoken language concurrently. My parents did not know if I would ever speak, but if I learned to sign, I could still communicate. This was not easy to do, and I had a large list of appointments from sign language (1x a week), auditory verbal therapy (3x a week), occupational therapy (2x a week), and various audiology and medical appointments. It was fair to say that my parents and I were very busy.
As a child, I learned sign and spoken language concurrently
The hard work and technology finally paid off, because shortly after receiving my Advanced Bionics cochlear implant, I began to speak. Soon after that, it became clear that I was favoring spoken language. By kindergarten, I was no longer signing. Due to a few reasons and since I was doing so well with my first cochlear implant, my parents decided to get me a second AB cochlear implant.
In 2005, when I was 5 years old, I was implanted on my right ear and became a bilateral cochlear implant recipient. The timing of my second implant was important, since there is evidence to suggest that the earlier a prelingually deafened child gets an implant, the better the outcomes. Studies continuously show that hearing with two ears is important for sound quality, speech in noise, sound localization, and other aspects of communication. Not to mention, the practicality of hearing on both sides meant that I would still be “on air” even if something happened to one side.
By Kindergarten, I started mainstream public school. I grew up living a very typical childhood, getting involved with sports, playing musical instruments, and other activities. Looking back, I am so grateful for those early hearing interventions. They laid the foundation for me to communicate, make friends, and be where I am today.
Looking back, I am so grateful for those early hearing interventions.
Facing Challenges with Revision Surgeries
While my cochlear implants have been amazing, the road has not been entirely smooth. When I was 11 years old, I needed revision surgery because of an implant failure on my right ear.
One day, I woke up and put my processor on, and it sounded like I was underwater – like someone had turned down my volume, and I just needed to turn it up. Of course, turning up the volume did not resolve the issue. After a handful of audiology appointments and a visit from an Advanced Bionics representative, it was confirmed my implant had failed. This obviously came as a shock to my family and me, as we assumed my cochlear implants were supposed to be lifetime devices. However, since the development of cochlear implants, no one person has had one for an entire lifetime, as the technology has not been around long enough. From there, we followed the advice of the professionals, and the Advanced Bionics team was very supportive in making sure I got everything I needed.
I went through the cochlear implant revision surgery, which was an explant and reimplantation in one procedure. Then, I had to do the therapy process again. With a new implant, the aural rehab process resets a bit, and it did not sound natural. Over time, the sound becomes more natural, but it is not like flipping a switch on and hearing again; it takes time, even with a revision. It was, however, not as intensive as the very first time. After some hard work, I was able to get it back to speed with my hearing,
During this time, I became more involved in the cochlear implant community. I became a panelist at the John Tracy Clinic for parents of newly diagnosed children. I attended multiple camps with other children with hearing loss and cochlear implants. Many of my cochlear implant friends I met there I am still in touch with today.
My second revision surgery
Many of my cochlear implant friends I met when I was young, I am still in touch with today.
Once I had graduated high school, I went to attend the University of California, Los Angeles for Astrophysics. During my time at UCLA, I had to receive another cochlear implant revision surgery on my left ear. I was 20 years old, and it was a much different experience.
The location of my cochlear implant swelled, and I was unable to wear my processor on my head. I was also experiencing some pain on that side of my head. I went to my surgeon, and he was not convinced that the pain and inflammation was an infection. He recommended not to wear my cochlear implant on that side for two months to wait for the swelling to go down before wearing it again. I waited two months and put my processor back on, and shortly after, it began to swell again. I went back to my surgeon, and he then concluded that I would need a revision surgery.
I needed to wait four months for the swelling to go down before the explant of the cochlear implant, then wait another four months for any more swelling to be gone before the reimplant. After the surgery, my surgeon said he saw no signs of an infection. His best speculation was that the casing potentially broke down and caused irritation, which a silicone implant would resolve since my old one was ceramic. My particular cochlear implant was an earlier model that is no longer implanted today; now, all implants are silicone. During this whole process, the cochlear implant provided the sound it always had, and the mechanics were working properly.
This time was tough because I went almost a year without my good ear during COVID. This affected my music appreciation, social interaction, and productivity. But after getting reactivated, I was able to get that side back up to speed, and it is working well today with no issue.
After the revision surgeries, I did notice a slight difference in how things sounded, however, it is very close to what it was before. I always try to remember that cochlear implants are man-made devices, so I need to be realistic and understand that they are not perfect. I am very happy with what I have been able to achieve with my old and new implants.
How my cochlear implant revision surgeries affected my future
During the process of getting a second cochlear implant revision surgery, I decided to make a career change and become an Audiologist. My experiences with my cochlear implant had moved me to help others in similar circumstances to mine. Once I graduated from UCLA, I began my doctorate in Audiology at the California State University of Los Angeles.
My journey with cochlear implants have led me to pursue an Audiology career
While I have had more revisions than what is typical for a cochlear implant user. However, I am of the mindset that these are manufactured medical devices, and while they are designed with the upmost reliability and safety, there is no guarantee that they will last forever without any issues.
Although I have had cochlear implant revision surgery, I have friends who I’ve grown up with who still have their original implants, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. I know very few people who have had revision surgery and the ones I know are spread out amongst all the main cochlear implant manufacturers. I had my original Advanced Bionics implant for almost 20 years. That's a long time for any implantable device, and it survived through all my development and gave me the ability to learn to speak. In my opinion, it is hard to trade that in.
Choosing Advanced Bionics cochlear implants
When my parents were deciding which brand to get me as a baby, they landed on Advanced Bionics because they felt it had the best technology and room for growth. I do very well with my AB implants and am happy with how I hear today. Advanced Bionics has and continues to support me exceptionally. For those reasons, I felt comfortable choosing them a second and third time with for my revisions.
Cochlear implants are amazing. I can’t think of any other device that takes such a profound sensory loss and provides such benefit. Someone who cannot hear at all can get these implants, and can learn spoken language, develop music appreciation, and have verbal conversations. It still feels like science fiction to me!
Helping Others with Cochlear Implants
My experience living with hearing loss has impacted my life so much that I changed course to study Audiology. Today, while pursuing my doctorate in Audiology at California State University of Los Angeles, I am also doing a research internship at Advanced Bionics. I am also involved in cochlear implant music appreciation research at the University of Southern California Bionic Ear Lab and have been able to present my findings at numerous conferences.
I am also involved in hearing loss philanthropy. My family and I run a foundation, the Ardis Foundation, which focuses on fundraising and providing educational scholarships to deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students.
Being able to work directly with cochlear implant recipients as a clinician, researcher, and philanthropist has been beyond rewarding for me. I love sharing my experiences and helping others navigate their own journeys with hearing loss.
Advice for Families Considering Cochlear Implants
If I could give one piece of advice to families considering cochlear implants, it would be this: act early. There is a critical period for hearing development in children. If the auditory pathways are not stimulated at a young age, the brain begins to reroute those centers for other tasks.
There are various studies that examine the correlation of early implantation and hearing development. I encourage you to research this topic and discuss this with your audiologist and hearing care professionals.
A Bright Future
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my Advanced Bionics cochlear implants. They’ve given me the ability to communicate, build relationships, enjoy music, and pursue my passions.
Challenges like cochlear implant revision surgeries have tested me, but they’ve also made me stronger and more grateful for what I have. I look forward to continuing my work in audiology and helping improve the lives of others with hearing loss.
Cochlear implants have opened a world of possibilities for me, and I’m excited to see where the journey takes me next.
Note: The views expressed in this post are those of the author. Each person's situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your hearing care provider about whether a cochlear implant is right for you.
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