Cochlear implant leads and accessories

Connevans are now stocking accessories and replacement leads for connecting radio systems to various implant processors. The initial balancing of the radio aid should be carried out by the implant centre who will also decide when it is appropriate for a radio aid to be used.

Radio aids can provide considerable benefit to cochlear implant users by improving the signal to noise ratio of the sound presented to the processor.

Click here to visit the Resources section of the Ear Foundation's Sounding Board website which has lots of practical information about how to connect many fm radio aids to the different models of cochlear implant processor. 

Click herefor information about the use of Phonak fm systems with Cochlear Implants and Bahas. 

COCHLEAR IMPLANT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

Do I set an fmGenie receiver to direct input for use with a cochlear implant processor?
No, an fmGenie should be set to HI   audio output for use with all cochlear implant processors.

I have turned up the fmGenie receiver but the user says that it isn't any louder and when the teacher stops talking it gets very noisy. Why is this happening?
The sound from the fmGenie receiver is activating the compression circuitry in the processor, you will need to adjust the sound from the fmGenie receiver to the correct level, if necessary at the implant centre.

I have turned up the fmGenie receiver but the user says that the sound is actually quieter, why is that happening?
The sound from the fmGenie receiver is activating the compression circuitry in the processor, you will need to get the implant centre to re programme the processor.

When should a radio aid be used with a cochlear implant?
If the implant user is more than a metre from the sound source that they are listening to then they will benefit from the use of a radio aid.

When using a radio aid is it alright to turn off the transmitter when the teacher isn't talking to the whole class?
No. Radio Aid receivers have a muting device that turns off the audio in the absence of a radio signal. There are occasions when the radio energy emanating from the  implant processor can be sufficient to open the mute resulting in the user reporting ‘white noise’ type shushing noises. The transmitter should be kept on all the time and the microphone muted by pressing the 'Star' function button on the front of an fmGenie when the teacher is not talking to the cochlear implant user. 

Click here for more information about the successful use of FM systems with cochlear implant speech processors.

 
CONNEVANS OUTPUT LEVEL SETTER & IMPLANT PROCESSORS

When using a radio aid with a cochlear implant processor, it is important to ensure that it is correctly set up with the specific processor. Once set by the implant centre, a Connevans Output Level Setter (OLS) is invaluable to measure the exact level that the radio aid has been set at.

The OLS may then be used both for routine testing and for setting up a replacement radio aid without the need to revisit the implant centre.