Answer:
First Answer:
My otologist tells me that of three main manufacturers, Cochlear, Advanced Bionics, and Med-El, there are some differences but no definitive "one best" company.
Med-El is the newest manufacturer, and may be the most advanced in some respects. I think Cochlear may be the oldest company and has sold the most implants. The Cochlear "Nucleus Freedom" has a water-resistant external processor, as does (I think) the Advanced Bionics Harmony. The Med-El Sonata TI100 system currently offers the smallest implant size and also has the longest electrode array, which may be an advantage for some patients. Some CI's (Advanced Bionics' Harmony) offer rechargeable battery technology.
Advanced Bionics is a U.S. company, Med-El is an Austria, and Cochlear is from Australia. CI technology is constantly changing and improving. All three manufacturers are currently quite competitive. Whichever company is chosen, it is a safe bet that support will be available for the lifetime of the patient.
Second Answerer:
One should be aware that the latest entry of any cochlear implant manufacturer is MST, from south Korea.I am implanting this implant(ies-250) in India and found it to be superior to the other available ones as it involves a much less traumatic surgical approach, it is a short insertion electrode and does not damage neural elements and so preserving all residual hearing which could be helpful for future technologies, and most of all it comes with a less than half the price tag than the others!!