Implantable hearing aids have been around for awhile now. Until now, though, they have been "experimental" in the United States. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its first approval for an implantable hearing aid for the middle ear.
This implantable hearing aid is a possible answer for hard of hearing people who do not want visible hearing aids. A clinical trial found that people heard better with the implantable hearing aid, the Esteem from Envoy Medical Corporation. Any possible side effects were similar to those with cochlear implants, and resolved themselves.
However, it is still a hearing aid that uses a battery! According to Envoy's website, the Esteem uses a battery that will last up to 9 years. After the battery wears out, it gets replaced through a minor outpatient surgical operation. So there is a tradeoff here - no frequent battery hassles, but you do have to go under the knife at least once every decade.
Now that they have FDA approval, Envoy can actively market their product. If you had a choice (for your type of hearing loss - at this time the Esteem is for people with moderate to severe hearing loss) between a cochlear implant and a totally implantable hearing aid, which would you choose?
