25 years of partial deafness treatment – milestones in the world’s science. Own experience

Over the past 25 years, cochlear implant patients’ inclusion criteria have significantly expanded. Advances in implant technology and surgical techniques allow most patients to maintain good preoperative hearing during and after cochlear implantation. The paper presents the latest concept of partial deafness treatment, including the development and improvement of this method. The course of the surgical procedure is discussed and tips are given regarding the electrode lengths and combinations of acoustic and electrical stimulation; important information is also provided on the preservation of the preoperative structures of the hearing and the inner ear. The work is supplemented by the classification of hearing impairment and the presentation of the development and application of specially designed electrodes used in various types of hearing loss.