‘Totally implanted’ hearing aid operation a success

The first totally implanted hearing aid has been implanted under the skin of a woman from Hampshire in the first operation of its kind in the UK.

The middle ear implant device, Otologics’ ‘Carina’, includes a rechargeable battery, signal processor and microphone, connected to an electromagnetic vibrator inside the mastoid bone. The ear canal is left open and nothing is visible on the outside of the head.

The technique was pioneered by the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre (SOECIC), based at the University of Southampton.

It is aimed at people who cannot have conventional hearing aids because of ear canal infections, allergies or a closed ear canal, as in the case of Denise Westgate, 49, from Havant.

She said: “I was nervous being the first person to undergo this operation but the difference it has made to my life is enormous. Suddenly there is all this sound that hasn't been there before.”

The implant was placed at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth by consultant otolaryngologist, Mike Pringle.

For an in-depth analysis of the latest trends in audiology, see the upcoming edition of National Health Executive magazine.