Cochlear implantation is a surgical procedure that implants an electronic device in deaf or severely hard of hearing individuals to provide a sense of sound. The first direct stimulation of the auditory nerve with an electrode was performed in the 1950s. Hearing impairment is more common in Saudi Arabia, around 13% compared to 1.3% worldwide, often related to marriage between relatives. A cochlear implant has an external portion that picks up sound and a speech processor that sends signals to an internal receiver and electrodes implanted in the cochlea of the inner ear. Candidates for cochlear implantation have severe-to-profound hearing loss and can benefit from the technology.