Cochlear stimulation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656059-B2
Application number	US-201414517638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Nov 8, 2007
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A cochlear stimulation device comprising an electrode array designed to provide enhanced charge injection capacity necessary for neural stimulation. The electrode array comprises electrodes with high surface area or a fractal geometry and correspondingly high electrode capacitance and low electrical impedance. The resultant electrodes have a robust surface and sufficient mechanical strength to withstand physical stress vital for long term stability. The device further comprises wire traces having a multilayer structure which provides a reduced width for the conducting part of the electrode array. The cochlear prosthesis is attached by a grommet to the cochleostomy that is made from a single piece of biocompatible polymer. The device, designed to achieve optimum neural stimulation by appropriate electrode design, is a significant improvement over commercially available hand-built devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cochlear electrode array adapted for cochlear stimulation comprising:
a polymer base layer;
high density patterned first metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer;
a polymer interlayer deposited on said polymer base layer and said first metal traces;
high density patterned second metal traces deposited on said polymer interlayer;
a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer interlayer and said first and second metal traces; said polymer interlayer and said polymer top layer defining voids for electrodes;
electrodes deposited on said first and second metal traces in said voids; and
a skirt comprising a soft polymer, which is more compliant than said polymer base layer, surrounding the array and extending beyond its edges;
wherein said array has a soft tip containing said soft polymer; and
wherein said array is curved into a helical shape to approximate the shape of the cochlea.

2. The cochlear electrode array of claim 1 wherein said electrode have a surface coating.

3. The cochlear electrode array of claim 1 wherein said traces comprise platinum as a conductive layer.

4. The cochlear electrode array of claim 3 wherein said conductive layer further comprises adhesion layers on top and bottom sides of the conductive layer.

5. The cochlear electrode array of claim 3 wherein said adhesion layers comprise titanium.

6. The cochlear electrode array of claim 3 wherein said polymer base layer and said polymer top layer define voids to improve adhesion with said skirt.

7. The cochlear electrode array of claim 1 further comprising vias to connect said metal traces on different layers.

8. The cochlear electrode array of claim 1 further comprising a coating comprising a hydrophilic polymer selected from the group containing poly(N-vinyl lactams, poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), polyacrylamides, cellulosics, methyl cellulose, polyanhydrides, polyacrylic acids, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl ethers or mixtures thereof.

9. The cochlear electrode array of claim 1 further comprising a cochleostomy grommet which includes an upper half and a lower half joined by a hinge.

10. The cochlear electrode array of claim 9 , wherein said cochleostomy grommet is made from a single piece of biocompatible polymer.

Assignees

• Second Sight Medical Products Inc

Inventors

• Greenberg Robert J
• Zhou David D
• Neysmith Jordan Matthew
• Mcclure Kelly H
• Wei Jianing
• Talbot Neil H
• Little James S

Classifications

• A61N1/0472

  Structure-related aspects · CPC title

• A61N1/0541 Primary

  Cochlear electrodes · CPC title