FDA approves cochlear implant system for transplantation in adults who lost hearing.The FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. has approved new Clarion HiFocus Electrode for use in adults who lost their hearing at some point after learning to speak. The HiFocus Electrode, part of the Clarion cochlear implant Clarion® cochlear implant Audiology An implant which bypasses ear damage, sending electric signals directly to the auditory nerve, interpreted by the brain as sounds. See Hearing aid. system manufactured by Sylmar, California-based Advanced Bionics Corp., delivers sound information in the form of electrical current to the deafened deaf·en v. deaf·ened, deaf·en·ing, deaf·ens v.tr. 1. To make deaf, especially momentarily by a loud noise. 2. To make soundproof. v.intr. ear, according to a company spokesman. This newly approved technology allows for the focused directional coupling between a cochlear implant cochlear implant n. An electronic device that stimulates auditory nerve fibers in the inner ear in individuals with severe or profound bilateral hearing loss, allowing them to recognize some sounds, especially speech sounds. system and a patient's auditory nerve auditory nerve n. See cochlear nerve. . The electrode also features dielectric partitions that prevent electrical current from spreading to untargeted areas. "Scientists have attempted for many years to develop an electrode that can selectively stimulate targeted groups of hearing nerve fibers," said Jeff Greiner, president of Advanced Bionics. "The HiFocus Electrode is the first FDA-approved technology which is designed to achieve this goal. Approximately 500,000 US adults could benefit from cochlear implants for hearing loss, creating a potential market of about $11 billion. Only 2 other companies aside from Advanced Bionics manufacture such implants. |
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