The UW's Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center is one of five sites to conduct a clinical trial of an implantable hearing-aid system recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

George Gates, center director and professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery, said the new system has several benefits over older hearing-aid technology. These include clearer sound, no squeals and no plugged-up feeling from ear canal occlusion. Five people who received the implant in a preliminary study reported improved hearing and sound quality.

Twenty patients will receive the implants at the UW. Any adult with hearing loss in both inner ears who has worn hearing aids for at least six months and is not happy with the aids may be eligible to participate.

For more information, visit the study's Web site at:

http://depts.washington.edu/hearing/Implantable.html