Abstract: A high pressure balloon is insertable into a mammalian eustachian tube. The balloon has a body that includes a medial end, a lateral end, and a longitudinal axis extending from the medial end to the distal end, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining an air receiving interior, a lateral cross-sectional profile, and a longitudinal cross-sectional profile. The balloon is inflatable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. The body is capable of retaining its desired size and shape when in the inflated configuration. The body has an ovaloid lateral cross-section that increases along the longitudinal axis from the relatively smaller cross-sectional area at the lateral end, to the relatively larger cross-sectional area at the medial end. The balloon is configured to uniformly expand the eustachian tube when in the inflated configuration.

Abstract: A balloon is provided for insertion into a mammalian eustachian tube. The balloon is a high pressure balloon having a body including a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an air receivable interior. The body having a plurality of segments of different cross sectional areas, and a non-circular cross sectional profile. The balloon is inflatable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. The body is sufficiently inelastic so as to be substantially incapable of expanding beyond a pre-determined size and shape when in the inflated configuration. The segments include a first segment having a first cross sectional area and a second segment disposed distally of the first segment The second segment has a second cross sectional area larger than the first cross sectional area.

Abstract: A hearing aid is provided for use with a user having a first and second ears disposed on first and second body sides. The hearing aid apparatus is configured for enabling the user to hear sounds that originate from a plurality of directions and includes a first hearing aid member placeable on a user's first body side. The first hearing aid member includes a first transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the user's first ear and converting those received sounds into first transmittable electrical signals. A second hearing aid member is placeable on the user's second body side and is preferably a cochlear implant device including an electrode array positionable within a cochlea of a user.