Esteem: The Hearing Implant

[jazz]

First hearing device that is implanted in your middle ear. Though not a treatment for tinnitus, the size and sophistication of the middle ear implant augers well for future tinnitus treatments. I wonder if this device might actually improve tinnitus, like cochlear implants can. Right now, having severe tinnitus is contraindicated for the implant, but in time who knows? Perhaps, with some tweaking, the device could be set to tune out tinnitus.

Here's the link to this impressive device: http://envoymedical.com/

 

[LadyDi]

Hi there Jazz: Just wanted to mention to the board: actually had a fairly long conversation with one of my doctors today (his schedule was not quite so crazy as usual) He's an inner ear surgeon who does research on tinnitus at the University of Miami, where it looks like they will be doing an AM-101 trial soon (But only for patients with onset under three months, sigh, which disqualifies me. Although he said that it looks like Arius will expand it to patients who are chronic in later trials).

Anyway, my doctor told me he has great hope for a cochlear implant-type solution to tinnitus in the near future. Apparently, such work is being done in Europe now. He said, as you mentioned, that he believes such a hearing device can be rejiggered in a way it would reduce or eliminate T through electrical stimulation. How much it might cost, of course, it something else....

Anyway, happy holidays to all.