News In Brief

New surgical device approved to help deaf adults hear

The government has approved a device for surgical implantation in the ears of totally deaf adults that can help them hear sounds like sirens, car horns, and doorbells, as well as human voices. Dr. Mark Novitch, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration, said the system, made by 3M of St. Paul, Minn., could help between 60,000 to 200,000 Americans who are totally deaf, about 10 percent of the deaf population.