On Mar. 1, 1961, the first successful single-channel cochlear implant was performed by Dr. William House and John Doyle of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, California. The patient was a 58-year-old woman named Germaine Lawrence, who had profound sensorineural hearing loss.

This pioneering procedure involved placing a single-wire electrode into the cochlea of a patient with profound hearing loss. The implant was later upgraded to a four-channel device, but was eventually removed, demonstrating the initial challenges and experimental nature of the technology at the time. 

Dr. House’s implant consisted of a single electrode that was inserted into the cochlea, the spiral-shaped organ of hearing in the inner ear. This electrode stimulated the auditory nerve, allowing the patient to perceive some sounds. This early implant was a significant breakthrough in the field of cochlear implant technology, paving the way for the development of more advanced devices that have restored hearing for millions of people worldwide.