This article was published under senses.

A panel set up by the FDA has recommended by a vote of 15-0 that they will approve the first fully-implantable hearing aid for patients with moderate to severe hearing loss.

The Esteem®-Hearing Implant™ developed by Envoy Medical is different from all other microphone-based hearing devices (hearing aids, other middle ear implants or cochlear implants). This is because it uses the eardrum to process the incoming sound and thereby preserving a natural way of hearing. The Esteem®-Hearing Implant™ is 100% implantable and therefore invisible.

The device works by being implanted under the skin behind the ear. Sound waves travel into the ear canal and set the ear drum into motion by causing the bones of the middle ear to vibrate.

The device senses these movements and delivers a customized dose of energy to the cochlea which then transmits the signals to the brain. The brain interprets the signals as hearing, which in turn provides the patient with improved hearing.