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Cochlear implant questions and answers in Sri Lanka

These are the questions families ask most often at our Cochlear Care Centres in Colombo and Kandy, where we have provided hearing care since 1976. Each answer gives you information you can check and verify yourself, with its sources. If you have been told something different, bring your questions to us and we will help you make sense of it.

On this page
  1. What can be done for severe or profound hearing loss?
  2. What is a BAHA, and is it the same as a cochlear implant?
  3. Which cochlear implant brand is best?
  4. Are all cochlear implants the same size?
  5. How many electrodes does a cochlear implant have?
  6. Can you have a 3 T MRI with a Cochlear implant?
  7. What is the difference between cochlear implant sound processors?
  8. Can a cochlear implant be upgraded after surgery?
  9. Does my child need speech therapy after a cochlear implant?
  10. Which Cochlear products are available in Sri Lanka?
  11. How long have cochlear implants been available in Sri Lanka?
  12. Where can I get Cochlear support in Sri Lanka?

What can be done for severe or profound hearing loss?

A cochlear implant is the usual option when hearing aids are no longer enough. Hearing aids make sound louder, but with severe or profound hearing loss the inner ear cannot turn that sound into clear signals, so speech stays muffled however loud it is. A cochlear implant works differently: it bypasses the damaged part of the inner ear and sends signals to the hearing nerve. Only a hearing test can tell whether an implant is right for you or your child, and the test is free at our Cochlear Care Centres.

What is a BAHA, and is it the same as a cochlear implant?

A BAHA, or bone anchored hearing aid, is a bone conduction hearing system, and it is not the same as a cochlear implant. Bone conduction sends sound through the bone to the inner ear, for conductive or mixed hearing loss or deafness in one ear.1 A cochlear implant takes over from a damaged inner ear, for severe or profound hearing loss. Cochlear's bone conduction implant is the Osia System, and you can try bone conduction first with no surgery on Baha Start, free at our Cochlear Care Centres.

Which cochlear implant brand is best?

The best implant is the one that suits your needs, so compare the facts rather than the brand name. Different brands claim different features, and some ENT surgeons have a strong personal preference for one brand over another. We believe Cochlear's products have many features other brands don't have. As of 2026, Cochlear have provided more than 650,000 Nucleus implants to people across more than 180 countries,2,3 and more people choose Cochlear than any other hearing implant manufacturer.4

Questions to ask your ENT surgeon:

  1. How thick is the implant?
  2. How many electrode channels does the implant have?
  3. Does this implant have a removable magnet to get a clear MRI head scan?
  4. What is the length of the external sound processor?
  5. Does the sound processor have 2 microphones?
  6. Are the implant and sound processor registered with the NMRA in Sri Lanka?

We can help you verify the answers you are provided and give our feedback and recommendations.

Are all cochlear implants the same size?

No. Cochlear's Nexa and Profile implants are 3.9 mm thick, the thinnest cochlear implants in the world.4,5,6,7 Other brands' implant stimulators range from 4.5 mm to 5.7 mm.8 A thicker implant can mean two things: more bone needs to be drilled away during the surgery, or the implant sits higher on the bone and makes a larger bulge on the head. In children aged 0 to 4, the skull bone where the implant sits averages just 1.84 mm thick.9 The skull bone and skin of children are thin, so we believe a thinner implant serves them better both during the surgical procedure and throughout their life.

How many electrodes does a cochlear implant have?

All Cochlear's Nucleus implants have 22 electrode contacts inside the cochlea and 22 independent stimulation channels.5,6,7,10 Some other brands have as few as 12 independent channels.10 If you've been told no implant has more than 12, that isn't correct. We believe 22 independent channels is superior, as it allows finer programming to sound frequencies. We believe more electrodes means your ENT and audiologist have more ways to programme and restore your hearing.

Can you have a 3 T MRI with a Cochlear implant?

Yes. All Cochlear's current models are capable of undergoing a 3 T MRI scan. Cochlear's Profile Plus and Nexa implants allow 1.5 T and 3 T scans with the magnet in place. Cochlear's Profile series needs the magnet removed for a 3 T scan.5,6,7,11 If you've been told Cochlear implants can't have a 3 T MRI, that isn't correct. For MRI scans of the head, a magnet left in place creates a shadow on the image near the implant, whichever brand you have. Removing the magnet greatly reduces that shadow and gives a clearer image.12,13,14 The feature that gives full MRI compatibility is a removable magnet, and all Cochlear's current implants have this feature.

What is the difference between cochlear implant sound processors?

Sound processors differ in size, microphones and features, so they are not all similar. Some sound processors don't have dual microphones, which are an important feature for sound clarity. And some brands' sound processors exceed 38 mm in length.15 All of Cochlear's current cochlear implant sound processors are 38 mm or less in length with their smallest battery, have dual microphone technology, and additional advanced sound processing features.16,17,18,19

Can a cochlear implant be upgraded after surgery?

With most implants, only the external sound processor can be upgraded. All brands can replace the external sound processor to access new technology. But only Cochlear's Nexa implant has internal firmware that can be updated after surgery, so a recipient can benefit from technology improvements over their lifetime.4,5

Does my child need speech therapy after a cochlear implant?

Yes. The implant gives your child access to sound, and auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) teaches them to use it to listen and talk. It is an essential part of getting the best from a cochlear implant. Our speech therapists provide AVT in English, Sinhala and Tamil at our Colombo and Kandy Care Centres. See AVT and speech therapy.

Which Cochlear products are available in Sri Lanka?

All of them. We can supply Cochlear's entire product portfolio in Sri Lanka, including the very latest Nexa cochlear implant and Osia bone conduction implant. If you've been told some Cochlear products aren't available here, that isn't correct.

How long have cochlear implants been available in Sri Lanka?

Since 2004, when we facilitated the country's first cochlear implant surgery and brought the technology to Sri Lanka.20,21 We have facilitated and supported more than 1,100 cochlear implant surgeries since then.20,21 That is the longest track record of any cochlear implant provider in the country, and it is why we can look after you for the life of your implant rather than only up to the surgery.

Where can I get Cochlear support in Sri Lanka?

Across the country. Wickramarachchi Hearing Care runs dedicated and specialised Cochlear Care Centres in Colombo and Kandy, and has more than 50 branches across the country where you can request cochlear implant assessment, programming and repairs. Auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) is at our Colombo and Kandy Care Centres. If you've been told there is no Cochlear support outside Colombo, that isn't correct.

References

  1. How bone conduction implants work, Cochlear Ltd.
  2. Cochlear Nucleus reliability reporting, Cochlear Ltd.
  3. Nucleus System Reliability Report, volume 24, December 2025 (PDF, 1.7 MB)
  4. Cochlear Nucleus Nexa implant, Cochlear Ltd.
  5. Nexa technical specifications (PDF, 0.2 MB)
  6. Profile Plus technical specifications (PDF, 0.6 MB)
  7. Profile technical specifications (PDF, 0.4 MB)
  8. Manufacturer-published specifications for other implant brands, on file with Wickramarachchi Hearing Care and available on request
  9. Temporal bone cortical thickness and perioperative complication rate in pediatric cochlear implantation, Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2025
  10. Electrode comparison chart (PDF, 0.3 MB)
  11. Cochlear MRI guidelines for professionals, Cochlear Ltd.
  12. Significant artifact reduction at 1.5T and 3T MRI by the use of a cochlear implant with removable magnet, PLoS One, 2015
  13. MRI-induced artifact by a cochlear implant with a novel magnet system, European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2020
  14. When an MRI compatible cochlear implant magnet can hide important findings, case report, 2022
  15. Manufacturer-published specifications for other brands' sound processors, on file with Wickramarachchi Hearing Care and available on request
  16. Nucleus 8 technical specifications (PDF, 0.2 MB)
  17. Nucleus 7 technical specifications (PDF, 0.6 MB)
  18. Kanso 3 technical specifications (PDF, 0.2 MB)
  19. Kanso 2 technical specifications (PDF, 0.2 MB)
  20. Wickramarachchi Opticians and Hearing Care celebrates 50 years of service in Sri Lanka, The Island, 19 June 2026
  21. Wickramarachchi Opticians and Hearing Care marks 50 years, Economy & Business Sri Lanka, 17 June 2026

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