Ground-Breaking Implant

A new type of cochlear implant is being placed in a 44-year-old English woman today. Unlike previous implants, information will be delivered to each ear, even though there is only one implant. Specialists at the University of Southampton will perform the procedure, where more than 5000 cochlear operations have been performed over the last few years with some people receiving two implants, with one in each ear. The new device is less expensive than two separate implants because there is only one processor and one internal receiver stimulator. In four to six weeks the device will be is tuned on and the doctors hope she will hear again using both ears and have better hearing in noisy backgrounds than regular implants.