toffee_pie

Hi Folks,

Has anyone here experience of the Carina implant?

I am using GN Azure at the moment in both ears, I am considering some sort of implant in the future, perhaps a year or two

I am wondering how they function during things like cell phone usage etc.

thanks...

Hear Again

Here are 3 testimonials from those who have the Carina:

The Hearing Study | Carina Fully Implantable Hearing Device

toffee_pie

I have noticed them already, thanks.

I would like to see some feedback from an ordinary 'joe the builder' type and not someone on a website from the manufacturer, if you get my drift...

I mean they are hardly going to say anything bad about their product are they.

john57

they are still doing trails and finding ways to improve speech discrimination with the implantable hearing aid. The microphone that is implanted under the skin has to be more sensitive while blocking out the body sounds that the mic may pick up. I heard some have good results from it and some that had to much hearing loss for it to work.

Hear Again

Fair enough. I was only trying to help.

toffee_pie

Hey, no its cool. I don't mean to offend you...

I am just a bit curious about this thats all.

cheers.

Bottesini

How dare you!

__________________

Bottesini

Carina is for moderate hearing loss. There probably are not many here who would qualify.

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Hear Again

Hear Again

Okay. No problem.

etalton

Carina implantable hearing aid gets showed off - Engadget

Implantable Hearing Aids

There are several articles at this site. Hope that helps...

__________________
E.T.



Left Ear Implanted 11-07-08 (Nucleus Freedom)
Activation 12-18-08

Right Ear Implanted 3-3-2010(N5)
Activation 3-11-10


http://et-mybionicjourney.blogspot.com/

ClearSky

toffee pie,

I have not heard of Carina, but I agree that it's important to talk to other people about it. I just don't know where to find more people who use Carina.

Here's another implantable hearing device that you could check out. It's a Vibrant Soundbridge. You'll have to wear an external headpiece.

Check it out: VIBRANT MED-EL

It's for sensoreneural hearing loss. It's for those with modereate-to-severe hearing loss, too. It's implantable in the middle ear.

Have you heard about BAHA hearing device?

ClearSky

Just an observation.

It's amazing how deaf people get mixed reactions from considering cochlear implants, but when it comes to implantable hearing devices or devices for people with moderate-to-severe hearing loss, people are helpful without saying a negative thing.

Hear Again

Good point, ClearSky.

harder65

I have just had a carina implant operation in Hamburg tuesday 22nd of september 2009. At the moment I still have bandaid around my head and I cannot hear much on the ear. I was told at the hospital it is quite normal as it takes around 2 weeks for blood and liquid to leave the middle ear. I will let you know how it is going.

CrazyOne

This device is investigational in the USA and you cannot get one in the USA until the company would gain approval (FDA approval of any device is not guaranteed and the results of any trial is typically not announced until an FDA decision is made).

If FDA approval is given, you will be able to determine the efficacy of the device and make a more informed decision.

C1

harder65

I had an otologic operation in Hamburg 22nd of september 2009.

5 month before this date I had a meeting with Professor Verse from Hospital in Hamburg and Thomas Witt from Otologics. I asked questions and they told me about the operation and the implant. I went home to figure out whether this was something for me or not. I took contact to Veronika Koch who has the carina.
I decided to go ahead and went to germany sept. 21st 2009 where I had a CT scanning made of my head.
Operation day.
Sept. 22nd I went to the hospital 7 in the morning and was operated from app. 9-12. 1 oclock pm I woke up from the narcosis. I was totally deaf on the operated ear because og blood and liquid after operation. 3 oclock I went back to my hotel with a huge badage around my head and a drain (bottle where the blood could run into) was attached to the back of my head. I did not have any pain. My nose kept running - felt like I had a cold. I was told it is because the ear are producing liquid which runs out of a tube in the ear. I
only slept for a few hours - then I sat up reading - cause I felt the best sitting up. I will not call it pain - but an unconfortable feeling.
Day 2
Next morning at 10 I went back to hospital for check up. When they cut off the bandage (which is very tight) I felt so sick I had to lie down. They gave me a drop and 10 minutes later I was fine again. They changed the bandage and I should come back in the evening. In the evening they gave me a drop for pain. The night was exactly the same as the first night.
Day 3
I went to hospital 10 in the morning. They took out the drain from the back of my head and changed the bandage. The took a bone leading hearing test - which showed I could have lost a little of my usual hearing. Then we drove back to Denmark.
2 week after operation
The swelling of the head has gone - and I feel like I have black and blue marks in the head. The skin and scalp has to get used to the implant. Still can´t hear anything.
My own doctor have removed the stiches - and the shaved hairs has started to grow out. (You cannot see the shaving as it is under the upper hair. My hair was so filtered after the operation I had to cut some of it of.
4 weeks after operation
I still feel now and then that I have a blue mark. My hearing has improved, but not back to what it was before operation and it is still clicking in the ear and my own voice still sounds like I am in a tunnel. I have no problems sleeping. There is only 1 place where I can feel i have something under my skin - between over my ear and temple I can feel an edge. I will write further in 4 weeks.

djo

harder65

any more news, please tell us more...
how are things now

harder65

Here 8 weeks after operation I had the Carina activated yesterday. It took around 2 hours - this is the first fitting of many. I hear my own sounds - like when I swallow, my hair going back and forth over the microfone, when I eat (carrots for example) it sounds very loud. My brain has to get used to all these sounds.
The volume will be slowly raised át each fitting till maximum - hereafter I can ajust the volume down with the remote control.
In january I will tell you how my first month with the activation has been, and I am travelling by plane in december - I will inform you what is happening in the security control!!

CrazyOne

Let us know if you have to turn the device off during the flight or if the function changes during the flight. That would be very interesting to know.

I don't think security should be an issue. As with most implants, I would think that you have an identification card showing you have the implant?

C1

rockdrummer

Is it suppose to be better than a CI?

harder65

It is different than a CI. You don´t destroy your usual hearing. My usual hearing goes from 20-30 down to 50-60 and up again to 20-30. This means that if they find a way to cure hearing loss with stemmcells - it is still possible. Professor Stefan Heller is telling about it on youtube.

CrazyOne

How is the Carina working for you? What level of functional gain are you getting (500Hz and 1000Hz, and 2000Hz).

Can you describe how it sounds?

-C1

stream2525

This will never help profound loss

drphil

From reading the above=Carina hearing aid-is not a Cochlear Implant. Thus can't be compared at all.
Oddly enough the first time I ever heard of Carina is right here-now.
How it compares to other Hearing Aids- cost wise?

__________________
Get Real:Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto -Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

RoseRodent

Right now since they are done in extremely small numbers they are very expensive, think I was told £20,000GBP each side. They will always be more expensive than hearing aids because there is a surgery involved and surgery has costs - anaesthetics, surgeons, aneasthesiologist, theater, etc. Plus you may need to travel to have it all done. The cost of the device would only come down if it becomes popular, but it is hard for something to become popular when it's very expensive.

Harder, can I ask why you decided to get this done? I mean was it because you don't like the look of hearing aids, you like to do sport in water, you wanted a better result? Thanks.

coolgirlspyer90

I think i would stick with Cochlear. and Besides, if somebody who is deaf and suddenly decides to get Carina, how will one believe that they are deaf? i mean it doesn't really make sense to me, because being deaf is an important part of me so, no, i wouldn't do it.

messymama

I think the fact they're not used for pediatric purpose may have something to do with it.

But please correct me if I'm wrong.

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Proud mum of two blessings: 5yo hearing girl and 3yo profoundly deaf boy

deafdyke

RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, it's good for age related losses.....but for crying out loud I LIKE having a BTE. It's a clue that I am HOH...and I love showing off my earmolds and colored aids...matter of fact I wish my aids were bigger and more noticable!

deafdyke

Oh and there was some weird tubeless implant thing awhile back that hit the news....seems to have shrunk without a trace. Most of the hype about the new technology is news release driven.