Now in its third edition, Programming Cochlear Implants provides a valuable guide for clinicians, researchers and students interested in working with cochlear implants. To my knowledge there is no other textbook on the market that attempts such a comprehensive review of cochlear implant programming the way Wolfe and Schafer do in this text.
The 13 chapters are presented in a logical order, breaking down the ‘how to’ of programming while also explaining the underlying theory and concepts. Early chapters cover basic cochlear implant components, terminology and underlying principles of cochlear implant programming. Chapters three to eight focus on manufacturer-specific content, covering hardware and software for the three major cochlear implant manufacturers. The remaining chapters pull all the prior chapters’ knowledge into something clinicians can put into practice including clinical considerations, managing complex patients and case studies.
While this provides a much-needed update to the previous edition, those familiar with the cochlear implant field will know that technology is rapidly evolving. There have already been new implants, processors and software released since the publication of this book, however no book would be able to remain up to date with the continuous updates from the different manufacturers.
Images are used throughout to support the reader’s understanding, however I feel some of the detail is lost by these not being in colour. There are also a few minor inconsistencies in the book that only the most pedantic reader might notice.
Based on the number of times I have leafed through my now dog-eared second edition, I think this third edition will be a valuable resource for clinicians and therefore good value for money.
