Cochlear Kanso with Profile Plus Implant

Cochlear Implants
#1

Hi I received my cochlear implantation on 3/4/20. I chose Cochlear and the Kanso device. I was implanted with the CI622 that is part of Cochlear’s new Profile Plus series which I believe came to market late in 2019.

Yesterday I went for my activation and unfortunately we could not get the Kanso to work because the magnet would not attach onto my skull with it’s strongest magnet strength (4). My audiologist believes there are a few possibilities causing this:

1 - I have thick hair and at the moment it is very short and fuzzy spiking outward. My audi mentioned this could be impeding the magnet from attaching to my skull.
2- It is only two weeks after surgery so perhaps there is still swelling which needs to improve. I was supposed to be activated 3 weeks after surgery (next week), but due to the coronavirus pandemic they pushed me up to 2 weeks fearing their offices may shut down and id have to wait a long while for activation.

We tried the Nucleus 7 processor and that was able to attach to my skull. My audi mentioned the N7 has the ability to use a stronger magnet (5) than the Kanso.

Thus, the short term solution is to use the N7 and ill continue testing the Kanso as i grow my hair out. My concern is that even after i grow out my hair the Kanso will still not attach. My audi in not so many words mentioned to me with the new Profile Plus device Cochlear was so focused on making the device MRI compliant that they may have sacrificed some of the magnet strength. My audi also mentioned to me that other Kanso users with the profile plus implant are having similar issues as me.

This is a concern because I do not want to use the n7 long term. I want to use the Kanso. I love the simplicity and aesthetics of it and after wearing hearing aids for nearly 20 years i no longer want anything on my ears. If the Kanso still doesnt attach after i grow out my hair then it appears i will be at the mercy of waiting for Cochlear to either make a stronger magnet or releasing an updated version of the Kanso (Kanso 2?) and who knows how long that can be.

The purpose of this post was to ask if there are any members here who have been recently implanted with Cochclear’s new Profile Plus series and if you are having similar issues with the Kanso.

Thank you in advance

Lou

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#2

You would think given the form factor that that the Kanso would have the stronger magnets. Unfortunately I can’t help much, I opted for the N7 myself, we did have a thread last week that seems to indicate that the Kanso 2 or whatever they name it is working its way through the approval process. Looks like it might be quite an upgrade. Unfortunately there was no time frame that could be found, and with CORVID any schedule there was is probably out the window now.

Hang in there it took a bit over two months for all of my swelling to go down so this may still work.

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#3

Thanks for sharing your CI experience.
The Kanso is also the direction I tend to prefer. The new updated Kanso sure sounds good that Pat mentioned.

Your predicament is the first time I have heard anything about the processor not sticking to the head.
My first thought is I am jealous of how much hair you have!

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#4

I was implanted in 2016 and also went with the Kanso. I too had a problem with it attaching to my skull but went to the strongest magnet #6 and was able to get it to secure to my skull. I too prefer the Kanso and have had no issues with it attaching after getting the stronger magnet. The Kanso had just come out when I was implanted.

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#5

It is very interesting that you have a magnet strength of 6 with your Kanso. My audi said the strongest magnet for the Kanso is currently 4. Perhaps 4 is the strongest strength for the new CI622 implant i have?

I am going to contact cochlear directly to clarify

Thanks for responding

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#6

You may be on to something. I did a little digging, in the online manual for the Kanso on page 24 where it talks about changing the magnet it talks about regular and (I) magnets, and they do have different strengths. I have the same thing in my N& manual, and looking at my magnet it is an I one

Cochlear made changes in the 600 series implants to make it easier for an MRI to be done, it may be that the it needed a different magnet to work with the new design in the processor.

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#7

If you look at the below website this company offers magnets for the Nucleus and Kanso. For both devices they have a separate magnet offering for the Profile Plus. The highest magnet forthe non profile plus is 6. For the profile plus the highest is 4(I). This has me concerned

Then again if you go to his Nucleus 7 magnet page the highest magnet offering for the profile plus is 4(I) but there is a higher magnet strength. The N7 i am receiving has a 5 magnet. Perhaps this company just doesnt offer the 5 magnet

http://www.cishop.net/contents/en-uk/d147_Magneten.html

#8

I was supposed to have a CI 622 implant on 3/12, but my surgery was postponed. I’m a type 1 diabetic and it wasn’t postponed due to COVID 19, the morning of the surgery, my blood sugar was too high to do the surgery. I’m getting a Nucleus 7 so as far as the Kanso, I wouldn’t be any help. I like the simplicity of the Kanso, but I need the BT connectivity so I opted for the N7.

However, the magnet with the hair has made me curious as to how either N7 or Kanso attaches when you have hair length just below the shoulder and it’s one length and not layered. Does the hair prevent the sound processor from attaching properly. On a woman, does it attach tucked under the hair to avoid the issue of thick hair?

#9

So I got my N7 today and i am using it with the 5 magnet. My audi created 4 mapping programs. She said to use program 1 for 2 weeks then program 2 for 2 weeks etc.

Right now i am on program 1 and i do not hear anything other than machine like beeps, ringing and static sounds. My audi said this is normal and it means my brain is adjusting to the implant. I just wonder how long am i going to have this? Its been about 3 hours already. I cannot hear any external sound or speech.

Anybody else experience this?

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#10

Interesting…
So this is the situation for 4 weeks unless program 2 changes things.
Please keep us updated.
Thanks

#11

This is a function of the brain adjusting not the program, unfortunately no one can tell you how long it will take.

I got lucky and had some understanding almost immediately in others it takes longer. The only thing I can suggest is what your audiologist probably already told you. Patience and practice. It will improve, just keep at it.

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#12

@Lou82 this is very normal, your brain is re learning the sound pathways. Sometimes it has a lot to do with how long you haven’t heard very well from the implanted ear in years. Hang in there, it will improve as you increase the volume. And every mapping you have it will improve as well.

I was very lucky, my residual was preserved and I could understand speech at activation.
Good luck :four_leaf_clover::four_leaf_clover:

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#13

Thank you all for the responses. Today i am very slightly starting to notice speech a tad more clear. I cannot understand it, but it seems to be improving.

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#14

To follow up on the original purpose of this thread. Cochlear support got back to me and confirmed the 4(I) magnet is the strongest magnet for the Profile Plus implant and they do not have any plans to make a stronger magnet because they will not be able to fit it inside the Kanso.

So i just have to grow my hair out and hope it attaches but i am confident this is not the problem because right now the magnets do not recognize each other at all. I will be very upset if i cannot use the Kanso and will have my doctor raise a complaint to Cochlear.

I hope any future iterations of the Kanso will have a stronger magnet. I was really looking forward to an off the ear processor.

Will keep you up to date.

#15

So the magnet is working on the N7 but not the Kanso? Weird, because as far as I can tell they use the same magnet. The N7 is exposed unlike the Kanso but it shouldn’t make that much of a difference. Even with the weight difference I would think that you would at least fell the magnet in the Kanso trying to connect.

I think the audiologist might want to contact Cochlear for a second opinion. Of course with luck as you heal this all goes away.

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#16

The N7 attaches but it i am using a 5 magnet. The 4 magnet with the N7 attaches but it detaches easily. I am noticing even with the 5 magnet if i dont put the coil on the exact sweet spot it is vulnerable to detach. But at the moment ive had my coil on for the last couple hours with no issue.

The 4 magnet with the Kanso does not attach at all. There is no recognition between the magnet in the kanso and implanted magnet.

#17

You mentioned swelling. Could that be the issue?

#18

It could be since its only 3 weeks out, but the kanso magnet is not recognizing the implanted magnet at all. The n7 magnets make a connection. This is why i am pessismistic

#19

As in communications?

#20

I am sorry I do not understand the question.