Cochlear:

Cochlear is an Australian company that produces the Nucleus range of cochlear implants, as well the BAHA bone anchored hearing aid and hybrid cochlear implants.

The CI24RE Freedom implant was launched in 2005, and has a good reliability record. It comes with a precurved electrode that hugs the modiolus and in theory should allow for more precise stimulation with less current wastage, but is also available with a slim straight array for hearing preservation and a straight array where electrode positioning along the lateral wall of the cochlea is required.

The Nucleus 5 cochlear implant was launched in late 2009, but it became apparent that there was a fault with the device leading to an unacceptably high failure rate, so the device was withdrawn until the problem could be resolved. This should not be held against Cochlear as all the manufacturers have problems at some stage, and the responsible thing to do is to withdraw the device until the problems have been resolved.

Currently patients opting for a Nucleus system are offered the Freedom implant, with the new Nucleus 5 processor with which it is compatible. This processor also has a remote control.