The Cochlear CARINA implant is a hearing implant that is implanted under the skin of people with moderate or severe hearing problems. In this way, the device, unlike cochlear implants, is invisible. This type of device, which is already ten years old, has changed the lives of many people. And a large part of them reside in the Valencian Community, as it is one of the few that is facing the coverage of said implant within the public health system. This explains why the city of Alzira is the headquarters of the National Association of Carina Implants (Aseimca), which has been presented to society.
Aseimca currently has more than 30 partners throughout the national territory. And according to its president, José Vicente Navarro, “our entity was born with the spirit of bringing together those patients whose lives this hearing system has changed, since it has allowed us to integrate into society by overcoming the barriers of hearing deficiency.” . Navarro thanked Cochlear for the improvements introduced in the latest CARINA models and also thanked UMusic for its work with those implemented.
At the presentation of the entity, held at the Hospital de la Ribera (Alzira), the director of the center, Manuel Marín, and the Head of the Otorhinolaryngology Service, Javier Gisbert, were also present, who highlighted the advantage that the CARINA implant is invisible, “since many people prefer that the hearing aid is not visible to avoid the social stigma they face.”
Invisible and very practical
Gisbert explained that type of implant is placed under the skin, remaining completely hidden, and provides a high fidelity signal allowing highly precise sounds such as rain or snow to be appreciated. Another added advantage is that this prosthesis allows the patient to carry out daily activities such as showering or practicing sports such as swimming, aerobics or tennis.
This device is implanted during an operation that is performed under general anesthesia and lasts an average of two hours, in which the surgeon makes an incision behind the ear to anchor the implant to the patient’s temporal bone. Regarding the device’s battery, it has an average life time of about 15 years, charging it daily.
