[The present state of implantations of cochlear neuroprostheses worldwide]

Cochlear implants provide the patient with acoustic perceptions. The quality of these perceptions varies individually and a technically more complicated implant does not imply a better quality of the achieved acoustic perceptions. The authors submit an account of the present state of cochlear implants on a world-wide scale as well as on the electrophysiological background of implantations, the type of electrodes, processing of the acoustic signal and surgical procedures. Development of the implant is an interdisciplinary problem in which otologists, audiologists, experts in electronics, electrophysiologists, phoniatrists and psychologists participate. The work was implemented during the preparation of the Czech single-channel electrocochlear neuroprosthesis.