The final NICE guidance regarding cochlear implants has been published today. For those people with severe or profound deafness who do not receive adequate benefit from acoustic hearing aids, NICE has recommended:
• Unilateral cochlear implantation as an option for adults and children
• Simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation for children
• Simultaneous bilateral implants for adults who are blind or have other disabilities that increase their reliance on auditory stimuli as a primary sensory mechanism for spatial awareness.
Richard Brook, President of Cochlear Europe said today: “We welcome the NICE guidance, which will ensure that eligible patients have access to cochlear implants.
Read more at http://www.thedeafblog.co.uk/2009/01/breaking_news_nice_recommends.html
