Optically coupled active ossicular replacement prosthesis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9544700-B2
Application number	US-81499810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2010
Priority date	Jun 15, 2009
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

An active ossicular replacement device is configured to couple the malleus to the stapes, and conduct sound through the vibratory structures of the ear in response to the transmitted electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy may comprise light so as to decrease interference from sources of noise external to the user. The prosthetic device may comprise an assembly that can be implanted in the middle ear in a manner that simplifies surgery. The assembly may comprise a narrow cross-sectional profile such that the assembly can be positioned in the middle ear through an incision in the eardrum, for example without cutting bone that defines the shape of the ear canal or the shape of the middle ear. The prosthetic device can be sized to the user based on a measurement of the ear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ossicular replacement device, the device comprising:
a lateral component comprising a first end configured to connect with a malleus of an ear, the lateral component comprising a first mass;
a medial component comprising a second end configured to connect with a stapes of the ear, the medial component comprising a second mass, the first end opposite the second end, the first end separated from the second end by a distance; and
at least one output transducer configured to vibrate at least the second end in response to an electromagnetic energy driving signal;
wherein the at least one output transducer, the lateral component and the medial component are discrete components, coupled to each other, and configured to provide a passive mode and an active mode, in the passive mode the device passively transmits vibration from the malleus to the stapes when no driving signal is transmitted to the at least one output transducer and in the active mode the device actively vibrates the stapes with an amplified energy from an energy sensing device when the driving signal is transmitted to the at least one output transducer in order to transmit the sound to a user; and
wherein the at least one output transducer is coupled to the lateral component and the medial component to vary the distance in order to vibrate the ear and wherein the first mass is greater than the second mass in order to move the second end more than the first end to decrease feedback when the at least one output transducer varies the distance and vibrates the stapes to transmit the sound to the user.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one transducer is configured to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted through tissue of the user.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the tissue comprises tissue of an eardrum of the user.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first end comprises a recess shaped to receive at least a portion of the malleus.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the recess comprises a concave surface shaped to receive at least a portion of a manubrium of the malleus extending between a head of the malleus and an umbo.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the recess extends inward a maximum distance of no more than about 0.6 mm to receive the portion of the manubrium and wherein the recess comprises a width within a range from about 0.7 mm to about 0.9 mm.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the second end is shaped to couple a head of the stapes.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the second end comprises a recess shaped to couple the head of the stapes.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the recess extends inward a distance within a first range from about 0.6 mm to about 0.9 mm and wherein the recess comprises a distance across within a second range from about 1.1 mm to about 1.3 mm.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the second end is shaped to couple a footplate of the stapes.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the second end comprises at least one of a flat surface or a convex surface to couple to the footplate of the stapes.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one transducer comprises a movement transducer comprising at least one of a piezoelectric transducer, a coil, a magnet, a balanced armature transducer, or a photostrictive material.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the at least one transducer further comprises a second at least one transducer configured to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted through the eardrum, the second at least one transducer comprising at least one of a photodetector or a coil configured to receive the electromagnetic energy transmitted through the eardrum.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the second at least one transducer comprises the photodetector and wherein the electromagnetic energy transmitted through the eardrum comprises light.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the photodetector comprises a first photodetector configured to receive a first at least one wavelength of light and a second photodetector configured to receive a second at least one wavelength of light and wherein the first photodetector and the second photodetector are coupled to the movement transducer to urge the first end toward the second end in response to the first at least one wavelength of light and urge the first end away from the second end in response to the second at least one wavelength of light.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the movement transducer and the second at least one transducer are configured to be separated by a distance and coupled with at least one electrical conductor extending there between.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the first end comprises a first cross-sectional size and the photodetector comprises a second cross sectional size and wherein the second cross sectional size is at least about twice the first cross sectional size.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein the device extends from the first end to the second end in a first direction and wherein the photodetector extends in a second direction, the second direction transverse to the first direction.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the photodetector has a surface that extends in the second direction and along a plane substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first end is further configured to connect with an eardrum of the ear.

21. An ossicular replacement device to transmit a sound to a user, the device comprising:
at least one photodetector configured to receive a light signal;
a lateral component configured to connect with a malleus of an ear, the lateral component comprising a first end configured to orient toward an eardrum;
a medial component configured to connect with a stapes of the ear, the medial component comprising a second end configured to orient toward the stapes opposite the first end, the first end separated from the second end by a distance; and
a transducer coupled to the at least one photodetector, the lateral component, and the medial component wherein the at least one photodetector, the lateral component and the medial component are discrete components, coupled to each other, and configured to provide a passive mode and an active mode, in the passive mode the device passively transmits vibration from the malleus to the stapes when no electromagnetic energy driving signal is transmitted to the at least one photodetector and in the active mode the device actively vibrates the stapes with an amplified energy from the at least one photodetector when the driving signal is transmitted to the at least one photodetector in order to transmit sound to the user.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the first end, the second end and the transducer comprise an assembly configured for placement in a middle ear between the malleus and the stapes.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein a distance from the first end to the second end is within a range from about 2.5 mm to about 7 mm such that the assembly fits between the malleus and the stapes.

24. The device of claim 21 wherein an optical coupler is disposed on the at least one photodetector to receive light scattered by an eardrum and transmit the scattered light to the at least one photodetector.

25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the optical coupler comprises an optically transmissive material and an optical surface to receive the scattered light, the optical surface comprising one or mo

Assignees

• Puria Sunil
• Perkins Rodney C
• Earlens Corp

Inventors

• Puria Sunil
• Perkins Rodney C

Classifications

• H04R25/606 Primary

  acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window · CPC title

• A61F2002/183

  Ear parts · CPC title