Q: My 28 year-old cousin has hearing impairment from birth and so we are considering getting her a cochlear implant. Is cochlear implant a safe long-term solution? Which are the hospitals offering this facility in India and what is the cost of the implant?

A:If a person has profound bilateral hearing loss, not benefited by hearing aids, then he or she is a candidate for cochlear implant. Results are better in post lingual deafness, but are also good in prelingual deafness. There is a small risk of surgical complications for any operation, but this is not unduly high. what is important is the post surgery rehabilitation and therapy. The better centres for cochlear implant in India are: Mumbai - Dr. Kirtane and Dr. Sandra Desai Chennai - Dr. Kameshwaran Delhi - Prof R.C. Deka, AIIMS