Given the media exposure (and popular YouTube videos ) of patients getting their "bionic ear" turned on with subsequent tears of joy... it is no wonder that patients disappointed in their "ordinary" hearing aids come knocking on their ENT's door desiring a bionic ear as well. Otherwise known as a cochlear implant , the device is actually implanted through the skull and directly into the cochlea rather than placed on the outside of the ear (watch video ). Unfortunat…