Children and adults who have severe hearing problems or are deaf can be qualified for cochlear implants. The Food and Drug Administration or FDA has approved regulation of the device as long as thorough examination and assessment has been done rendering the procedure safe and useful.

Patients' hearing history, underlying causes of hearing problems or loss, physical condition, support system for aural rehabilitation, speech recognition ability and amount of residual hearing are taken into consideration when determining candidates.

Candidates may be described as individuals who have good communication skills with family willing to support development of coping skills and a functioning auditory nerve. The patient should be fit for surgery, positive about the results and have contact persons to help during post-cochlear implant period such as a deaf educator and verbal therapist. It will also be helpful if the person experienced at least a short period of time dealing with hearing loss independently.

Cochlear implant surgery is done with the use of general anesthesia lasting around 2 to 3 hours. It may be done as an outpatient or require hospital stay for a few days depending on the patient's condition and type of device used. An incision is made behind the ear to expose the mastoid bone that leads to the middle ear. The mastoid bone is then opened with the use of a microscope and bone drill after which the internal device of the implant will be inserted.

The electrode array is placed into the inner ear or cochlea while the receiver is placed behind the ear in an artificial well. The two devices should be close enough to allow proper transmission of electrical impulses. The incision will then be stitched back together. After 3 to 4 weeks, the external device will be placed which is enough time for the wound to heal.