The University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service (USAIS) currently offer patients a choice between leading manufacturers. More information about their individual products and speech processors can be found on their websites. Patients spend time with staff at USAIS discussing the benefits to each product. In a few cases there may be a clinical reason for choosing a certain manufacturer and then the centre will give the patient this guidance. If there is no clinical reason for a particular device then patients can choose whichever they prefer.
USAIS has an online device choice tool to help patients explore the different options available to them. This can be found by clicking on the link below;
The choice can often be quite a difficult one for patients and parents because once they have been implanted they can only use the equipment from that specific company. We can reassure patients that in our clinical experience patients can do well with all three manufacturers. The reasons patients give for choosing a certain make range from the look, size, colour or engineering of the product. Sometimes it is because they know other people who are successfully using a certain device.
For information about each company please browse the individual websites.
Key concepts
- What is a cochlear implant?
- How does it work?
- Who should have a cochlear implant?
- What does a cochlear implant sound like?
- Who manufactures cochlear implants?
