Can we get cochlear implants in both ears simultaneously?

Yes, it can be done simultaneously in both the ears provided both ears can be implanted as per the anatomy and audiology of the ears.. When sound is heard by both ears simultaneously, the brain receives two inputs, which can help the person to better understand speech in noisy environments and determine the direction of sound. This is something a single implant cannot do as the brain uses the difference between the two ears to determine where sound is coming from and to identify voices in a crowd.

However, one implant is still worth its weight in gold. Patients who receive surgery in one ear will hear well and their speech and language will develop just fine, so it is not a trade-off to have surgery in one ear rather than two.

Most surgeons will perform the surgery in one sitting, rather than two surgeries, primarily because the patient only gets one anesthetic and one recovery period from the surgery, versus twice. This also means both ears receive the hearing and rehabilitation process simultaneously, which may be more convenient for families to coordinate therapy and follow-up visits.

Bilateral implantation is recommended wherever possible if the funds are not restricted. However, if due to some reason this is not feasible, then unilateral or single-sided surgery is effective.