Q: In a previous column a writer asked you about a hearing aid losing its effectiveness because of sweaty ears and pressure buildup. I was surprised you didn't mention the new implantable hearing aids. They would seem to eliminate these problems, though I don't know how good they are yet. What do your experts say about implantable aids?

A: Implantable hearing aids are a new system that consists of a tiny magnet placed inside the middle ear and an external sound processor.

In the implant procedure the eardrum is carefully lifted up, providing access to the middle ear. A micro-magnet is then placed on a segment of the tiny bones in the middle ear, and then the eardrum flap is closed. The entire procedure takes about 30 minutes and is performed under local anesthetic.

Because it uses electromagnetic waves instead of air pressure to amplify volume, the new hearing system eliminates pressure buildup, feedback, distortion and squealing common with standard hearing aids.