Our adult cochlear implant programme started in 1991 with the first adult cochlear implant performed in 1993. Our children's service started 2 years later.
By 1998, our service developed into our all-inclusive hearing implant centre, including not only cochlear implants but also electric acoustic implants, bone conduction implants, middle ear implants and auditory brain stem implants (ABIs).
We're one of only 2 specialist commissioned services to offer ABIs for children in the UK. We were one of the first European centres to offer hearing preservation surgery for people with electric acoustic implants.
We have internationally renowned surgeons working within a highly experienced multidisciplinary hearing implant team, made up of a range of different specialist professionals.
The hearing implant centre is based at St Thomas’ Hospital with children's operations taking place at Evelina London and children's ABI operations taking place at Kings Hospital Denmark Hill. Adult operations for people aged 16 and over take place at Guy’s Hospital.
We work across both our children's and adult teams. This makes childrens' transitions to adult services easier and strengthens our specialist knowledge.
Visit the hearing implant centre pages on the Guy's and St Thomas' website for information about our adult services.
What we offer
We provide:
- assessment and diagnosis for hearing
- hearing aid fittings
- hearing implants and rehabilitation
Our children's team offers regular outreach visits to home or school. We're very experienced in working with children and young people.
We also provide a specialist clinic for children and adults with external ear malformations and hearing loss. This is one of the few of its kind in the country.
Every type of implant, for any type and severity of hearing loss
Offering the latest implants from all major implant companies, including:
Specialist microtia and atresia clinic
At our microtia clinic we provide information and treatment options for microtia.
One team providing care for life
Our integrated children's and adult implant service makes sure our young patients have a smooth transition from children's to adult services.
First-rate care and follow up
We provide family support throughout assessment and after operations (including home visits), regular upgrades of external implant equipment and overnight accommodation for families who live far away.
State-of-the-art facilities
Our facilities include a bilateral test suite with crescent of sound speech perception testing equipment to help us assess our patients.
World-leading expertise
Our team of hearing implant surgeons pioneer hearing preservation techniques in surgery. We have extensive experience with every implant device and hearing aid and more experience with middle ear implants than anywhere else in the UK.
What our patients say
Kiron, a young MEI user
"After the operation I felt more alive and happy because I could hear better. I didn't like to wear my old hearing aid, but I wear my new one all day. Sometimes I forget I'm wearing it! Everyone at school has been amazed – at first they though it was a hair clip! I love it"
Charlotte, mother of Nathaniel, a cochlear implant user
"We can't speak highly enough of the cochlear implant team. From the first appointment, we've felt well-informed and cared for at every stage. We've particularly appreciated having the same lead audiologist and speech and language therapist since the beginning as it means they have a deep understanding of our son's history and needs."
Georgina, mother of Thomas, a cochlear implant user
"Thomas wasn't a straightforward case for the cochlear implant team. There were numerous discussions and assessments before we agreed to go ahead. All of this was handled with careful thought and sensitivity towards Thomas and us as a family, which made the whole journey much easier for us to understand and process."
Tamsin, mother of Penelope, a cochlear implant user
"An intense and daunting process was made easier with the support of the amazing team. They were always on hand to answer questions and guide us. We are forever thankful for the support and advice we continue to receive. Thanks to the team Penelope has her own set of magic ears. She's learning to listen and speak, and most importantly is having lots of fun while doing it!"