Hearing aid batteries are being recalled because they could explode in the users’ ears (Picture: Getty Images)

Thousands of hearing aids have been recalled because there’s a risk they could explode in the user’s ear.

Defective batteries in ZeniPower mercury-free hearing aids could cause the device to explode if used or depleted.

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Around 14,000 people have already been told to bin any batteries with best before dates of August 2018 and September 2018.

The audiology department at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge issued the warning as a precautionary measure.


Dr David Baguley, head of the audiology department, told patients in a letter that though there are ‘no reported episodes of any harm caused to date, they are withdrawing the batteries from circulation ‘as a precautionary measure.’

This comes after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued a Medical Device Alert warning the defective hearing aids should be removed from circulation (Picture: Getty Images)

It comes after the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a Medical Device Alert warning the defective hearing aid batteries should be taken out of circulation.



The problem with the batteries is believed to be due to excessive gassing, as the zinc electrode reacts with the electrolyte to generate hydrogen, which may expand and possibly cause the battery to explode.’

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A Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) spokesman said: ‘The advice we are offering to all our patients with hearing aids is to check their batteries and dispose of any ZeniPower mercury-free batteries with the affected expiry dates.

They advised people against using the batteries, adding: ‘All affected batteries have been taken out of stock in the audiology and hearing implant Services at CUH, and in our volunteer partner organisation Cambridgeshire Hearing Help.