Implantable stimulating assembly with limited components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11806529-B2
Application number	US-202017020201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

An electric hearing prosthesis, wherein the electric hearing prosthesis includes an implantable portion configured to electrically stimulate a cochlea to evoke a hearing percept, and an external portion configured to be in wired communication with the implantable portion, wherein the electronic components of the implantable portion are all passive electronic components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
accessing a middle ear cavity in a recipient, wherein the recipient includes a cochlea and a tympanic membrane;
implanting an assembly comprising an electrode array of a cochlear implant and an electrical lead assembly in wired communication with the electrode array in the recipient such that the lead assembly extends through the tympanic membrane and such that the electrode array, which includes a plurality of electrodes, is implanted in the cochlea such that a plurality of electrodes are located in the cochlea, wherein the plurality of electrodes are in wired communication with separate respective leads of the lead assembly;
placing a fixation component through a piercing in a pinna of the recipient; and
attaching the lead to the fixation component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
completing the implantation of the assembly without drilling into bone of the recipient.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the implantation is executed on the recipient under only local anesthetic who is not suffering from any other ailment beyond a hearing defect.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the assembly includes at least seven separate lead wires respectively connected to at least seven separate electrodes of the electrode array, wherein all seven separate electrodes are inserted into the cochlea;
a connector is connected to the lead assembly; and
the method further comprises, after the action of implanting the assembly, connecting an external device to the connector at a location outside the tympanic membrane relative to the middle ear and the inner ear of the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
making an artificial incision in the tympanic membrane;
extending the electrode array through the artificial incision;
after extending the electrode array through the artificial incision, inserting the electrode array into the cochlea such that the plurality of electrodes are inserted into the cochlea, wherein
the electrode array is manipulated via forces directed through the artificial incision in the tympanic membrane.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
completing implantation of all implantable portions of an electric hearing prosthesis such that no active electronic components are implanted inside the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing excess lead assembly in a middle ear and in the outer ear of the recipient beyond that which is needed to extend the lead assembly from the electrode array to an external component to which the lead assembly is to be placed into wired communication.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the lead assembly includes a stop; and
the method includes placing the stop proximate the tympanic membrane.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the lead assembly includes at least seven separate electrodes of the electrode array, wherein all seven separate electrodes are inserted into the cochlea;
a connector is connected to the lead assembly; and
the method further comprises, after the action of implanting the assembly, connecting an external device to the connector at a location outside the tympanic membrane relative to the middle ear and the inner ear of the recipient, wherein when the external device is connected to the connector, the electrode array is configured to provide at least seven frequency band channels when the external device connected to the connector with the electrode array inserted into the cochlea is used to evoke a hearing percept based on ambient sound.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the fixation component is a means for securing the lead.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the piercing is in a tragus of the pinna.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the piercing is in a tragus of the pinna.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
attaching the lead to the fixation component occurs after placing the fixation component through the piercing.

14. A method, comprising:
accessing a middle ear cavity in a recipient, wherein the recipient includes a cochlea and a tympanic membrane;
implanting an assembly comprising an electrode array of a cochlear implant and an electrical lead assembly in wired communication with the electrode array in the recipient such that the lead assembly extends through the tympanic membrane and such that the electrode array, which includes a plurality of electrodes, is implanted in the cochlea such that a plurality of electrodes are located in the cochlea, wherein the plurality of electrodes are in wired communication with separate respective leads of the lead assembly; and
attaching the lead to the fixation component extending through a piercing in a pinna of the recipient.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
prior to attaching the lead to the fixation component, placing the fixation component through the piercing in the pinna of the recipient.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the piercing is in a tragus of the pinna.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the fixation component is a means for securing the lead.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the piercing is in a tragus of the pinna.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
completing the implantation of the assembly without drilling into bone of the recipient.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
making an artificial incision in the tympanic membrane;
extending the electrode array through the artificial incision;
after extending the electrode array through the artificial incision, inserting the electrode array into the cochlea such that the plurality of electrodes are inserted into the cochlea, wherein
the electrode array is manipulated via forces directed through the artificial incision in the tympanic membrane.

21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
completing implantation of all implantable portions of an electric hearing prosthesis such that no active electronic components are implanted inside the recipient.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the lead assembly includes at least seven separate electrodes of the electrode array, wherein all seven separate electrodes are inserted into the cochlea;
a connector is connected to the lead assembly; and
the method further comprises, after the action of implanting the assembly, connecting an external device to the connector at a location outside the tympanic membrane relative to the middle ear and the inner ear of the recipient, wherein when the external device is connected to the connector, the electrode array is configured to provide at least seven frequency band channels when the external device connected to the connector with the electrode array inserted into the cochlea is used to evoke a hearing percept based on ambient sound.

Assignees

• Leigh Charles Roger Aaron
• Cochlear Ltd

Inventors

• Leigh Charles Roger Aaron

Classifications

• A61N1/36036 Primary

  of the outer, middle or inner ear · CPC title

• A61N1/36017

  with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin · CPC title

• A61N1/36038

  Cochlear stimulation · CPC title

• A61N1/375 Primary

  Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings · CPC title

• A61N1/0541

  Cochlear electrodes · CPC title