Illustration by Jean-François Martin
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The Bionic Ear
By Cathie Gandel, March & April 2006
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When it comes to replacement body parts, science hasn’t quite caught up to science fiction. But for those with severe hearing loss, surgical implants are steadily improving. Implants cost between $3,500 and $30,000 for the device alone; many patients, however, say they’re worth every penny.
Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) work for those with single-sided deafness. Sound is picked up by a transmitter attached to a titanium screw implanted on the deaf side and then conducted via the skull bone to the "good" side.
Middle ear implants, used for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, attach directly to the middle ear bones and amplify sound signals to the brain. A behind-the-ear component houses the microphone, sound processor, and battery, but a fully implantable device from Otologics in Boulder, Colorado, is scheduled for clinical trials.
Cochlear implants help with severe hearing loss by converting sound into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain. A transmitter is placed under the skin behind the ear, and electrodes are implanted inside the cochlea (a cone-shaped tube in the inner ear). At the University of Iowa a smaller, more precisely placed version of a standard cochlear implant is now undergoing FDA trials. Though cochlear implants were previously available only to people under 65, the age cutoff has been lifted, and Medicare does provide coverage.
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