Bradford Royal Infirmary has been selected to trial a new invention which promises to revolutionise the lives of people with hearing aids.

The tiny gadget, just 2mm long, is implanted into the ear and works like a mini loudspeaker.

So far just five of the American devices have been fitted in Britain but now a selected number of local people will be offered the operation. Consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon Chris Raine, from the hospital's regional implant centre, said he was delighted the BRI has been picked for the trial.

"It helps develop the strength of the ENT facilities and the growing development of the audiology department. I think we are just pleased to be part of the national study."

Now the team at Bradford will be asking people to come forward to try out the device and be tested to see how it works.

Vibrant, as the special aid is known, looked set to help the 56 million people worldwide who are hard of hearing, many of whom own a traditional hearing aid but hate to wear it.

"It's for people who have got a degree of hearing but are having difficulty tolerating their current type of hearing aids. One of the benefits is that it can hardly be seen because there is nothing visible inside your ear," he said.

Normal hearing aids make all sounds louder. However, the Vibrant uses a tiny microphone and receiver working only on selected frequencies, to convert sounds directly into mechanical vibrations in the inner ear.

A tiny wire under the skin links a microphone on the outside to the middle ear where something called a transducer helps to vibrate the bones. Those movements are interpreted by the brain in the normal way.

The two-hour operation is carried out under general anaesthetic and involves an incision behind and above the ear. The patient can leave hospital the next day and the device can be plugged in when healing is complete six weeks later.

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