saw the Wizard of CI's!

Saw the Wizard of CI's (audiologist) today!  I was really hoping to get Advanced Bionic's new Optima programming loaded up onto my processors. No such luck, the laptop the audie brought with her is old, and has the older software on it.  But she is taking my Neptune with her so she can load Optima onto it when she gets back to her office in Denver, and then send it to me. She tested 3 of the electrodes (3, 9, and 15) to make sure the Harmony is programmed in the right spots.  Brought up the middle frequencies a bit more, and voila!  Program 1 is Hi-Res P which is what I had on Program 2; Program 2 is now Hi-Res P with the adjustments, and Program 3 is Hi-Res S with the adjustments as well.  She also tested me real quick in the sound booth.  When the tones were being played, at times I wasn't sure if I was actually hearing the tones with the implant, or if it was the tinnitus in the right ear. Augh!  Tinnitus, why must you be so confusing?!  She also said a few phrases while I was in the booth with just my CI on.  A couple she had to repeat but I was able to repeat them all back to her.  She's still amazed with my progress. She was telling me she really didn't think I'd be able to understand speech with the implant, considering how long the left ear was DEAF for, and the fact I had meningitis which did cause some ossification.  I'm pretty much in awe of my progress too!

I was also able to sit in while a teenager had her CI remapped as well.  She has a Cochlear device, and I've been curious of how other CI brands were programmed.  Very interesting to see the differences in programming options/softwares.  While the audiologist was going through each electrode, the teen had to count the beeps and report to the audiologist how many beeps she heard so the audie could make some adjustments if necessary.  I don't have to do that with AB, and audie says those with MedEl don't have to count the beeps either.  The softwares for AB and MedEl just automatically measures the responses and records them, but Cochlear's doesn't?  I'm not too sure, I missed bits here and there.  Still interesting anyway.  Now, who has a MedEl implant so I can sit in on one of their sessions so I can see how things are done? Ha, kidding.


Anyhoo...  Oh yeah!  I ordered some skins from SkinIt for my processors last month!  I ordered a couple for the Harmony, and one for the Neptune.  Found a 40% discount code online so got 40% off on each skin ordered, which was nice.  Took a while to check out all the different patterns and designs available on the site, but I finally narrowed them down to the three I chose.  You could also add in your own custom graphics/colors/designs/patterns too instead of choosing one already available.  Pretty neat!

Harmony!

Neptune!

the layout of the skins. definitely many more pieces just for the Neptune (including both the controller, and the waterproof cap).

Voluntary Recall Notification for Nucleus CI500 cochlear implant range

Voluntary Recall Notification for Nucleus CI500 cochlear implant range

Cochlear Limited is undertaking a voluntary recall of the unimplanted Cochlear Nucleus CI500 cochlear implant range.
While less than 1% of CI512 implants have failed since launch in 2009 , Cochlear has identified a recent increase in the number of Nucleus CI512 implant failures.   In an abundance of caution and with our recipients in mind, Cochlear has issued a voluntary recall of the Nucleus CI500 range of cochlear implants while it further investigates the issue.
No implants outside the Cochlear Nucleus CI500 range are affected by this voluntary recall including Nucleus Freedom implants which remain available.
The Nucleus 5 external devices (Nucleus CP810 Sound Processor) and any previous generation sound processors are not affected by this recall.
It is important to note that all existing Nucleus CI512 implant recipients can continue to use their system as normal.
If a Nucleus CI512 failure occurs, the implant safely shuts down.  In the event of a failure, recipients can be re-implanted with the Nucleus Freedom implant range which remains available.  Nucleus Freedom is fully compatible with the Nucleus 5 Sound Processor System which is not affected by this recall.
For people considering a cochlear implant, Cochlear recommends the use of the Nucleus Freedom range of Cochlear implants which are fully compatible with the Nucleus 5 sound processor system.  This combination of Nucleus Freedom and Nucleus 5 sound processor system does not sacrifice any of the performance benefits of the Nucleus 5 processor system.
For more than 25 years, cochlear implant reliability has been of paramount importance to Cochlear, and we remain committed to providing high quality, high reliable cochlear implant systems.
We sincerely apologise for any concern this causes.  I f you have any questions regarding this please do not hesitate in contacting your local Cochlear office.

Cochlear shares plummet on product recall

Cochlear shares plummet on product recall

Eli Greenblat

September 12, 2011 - 10:29AM

Shares in bionic ear implant company Cochlear fell 17 per cent in early trade after the global leader in hearing technology announced a voluntary recall of its unimplanted CI500 Cochlear range.

Shares were down as much as $19.41, or 27 per cent, to $52.77. They were recently 18 per cent lower at $60.00.

The Sydney-based company said in an announcement to the Australian Stock Exchange that it had begun notifying healthcare professionals and regulatory authorities about the recall.

Cochlear said the financial impact of the recall was difficult to forecast at this stage.

Cochlear said in its announcement that all existing recipients with a Nucleus C1500 series implant can continue to use their system as normal.

Cochlear said less than 1 per cent of CI512 implants had failed since its launch in 2009, but that it had identified a recent increase in the number of Nucleus CI512 implant failures.

To be cautious the company had decided to recall the Nucleus CI500 range of implants while it investigates the cause of the problem.

Cochlear has implanted its bionic ear device in more than 250,000 people over the past 30 years and the company has managed to dodge the types of problems that have led many of its competitors to recall their own devices due to health-related problems linked to the devices.

Over the past 10 years its key rivals in the United States were forced onto the sidelines due to problems with their own devices, handing Cochlear a clear run to capture a bulk of the North American market. The last time a rival of Cochlear was forced out of the market the Australian company boosted its market share well above 75 per cent.

The affected CI500 implant range includes the Nucleus CI512 implant plus the following implants which are only available in limited markets - Nucleus CI513, Nucleus CI551 double array implant and Nucleus ABI 541 Auditory Brainstem Implant.

Its Nucleus 5 external device range and any other previous generation externals are not subject to this recall.
More than 10 years ago Cochlear was the target of a US Department of Justice investigation into payments made to physicians and providers. No charges were ever brought against Cochlear or any of its executives.

The company recently unveiled a full-year profit of $180.11 million, up 16 per cent, as revenue increased 10 per cent to $809.6 million.

Continued technological innovation has helped Cochlear maintain its dominant market share in the implant industry, with its Nucleus range of implants touted as the next generation series of devices that would help Cochlear stay ahead of its competitors as well as encouraging greater take-up rates among doctors and patients.

egreenblat@theage.com.au