Objective: The study describes the procedure followed by the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre, Southampton in involving the patients in their choice of device and it also describes the reasons given by patients for choosing a particular device.
Methods: A retrospective service evaluation of 43 adults and 19 children was carried out and the data was analysed.
Results: A wide range of reasons for choosing a particular device were reported. However, it is notable that the single most common reason for choosing a particular device was related to the aesthetics.
Discussion: The data suggest that the main reason for choosing a particular device related more to the aesthetics and comfort of the device irrespective of the technical aspects.
Keywords: Cochlear implant selection; Cochlear implants; Device choice.