Canadian researchers have found that over the last 20 years, three percent of deaf children who got cochlear implants at their hospital needed new ones because of technical problems. Almost all of the kids who needed a new device implanted maintained or improved their hearing and speaking abilities after the second procedure. Complications of the implant procedures are rare, but include infections and damage to the devices. The implants and related surgeries are usually covered by insurance. More than 200,000 people have received cochlear implants, including about 70,000 in the United States. According to the Food and Drug Administration, they have been approved for commercial use in the U.S. since the mid-1980s.