Patent ID: 7853033

Claim:
A hearing aid adapted for insertion into a tunnel that connects a retro-auricular space to an ear canal, comprising: a hearing aid module comprising: a case having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end comprises the end of the case adapted to be closest to the ear canal when the case is inserted into the tunnel, and the proximal end comprises the end of the case adapted to be closest to the retro-auricular space when the case is inserted into the tunnel; electronic circuitry housed in said case; an acoustic transducer electrically connected to said electronic circuitry and located in said case so as to reside near the distal end of the case; a microphone also electrically connected to said electronic circuitry and located in said case so as to reside near the proximal end of the case; a power source housed in said case and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry; and a hollow tube adapted for insertion into the tunnel, wherein the case of the hearing aid module is adapted to be slidably inserted into and withdrawn from said tube, wherein said tube is coated with a steroid or drug; wherein the electronic circuitry includes signal processing circuitry for amplifying and processing signals sensed through the microphone and for presenting the amplified and processed signals to the acoustic transducer; and wherein the acoustic transducer converts the amplified and processed signals received from the electronic circuitry to sound waves, which sound waves are emitted towards the ear canal.