Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090275818 | APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR INSERTION OF AN IMPLANT - The present invention provides an apparatus for insertion of a flexible implant into a body section of an implant recipient, the apparatus comprising an elongate guiding section having a longitudinal axis and an inner volume for removably receiving the implant, an elongate first receiving member connected at its first end to a first actuator arranged for moving the first receiving member within the guiding section in parallel to the axis of the guiding section, a first control device for controlling the actuation of the first actuator, wherein first receiving member at its second end opposite its first end carries a gripping unit for releasably gripping a proximal end of the implant, a second actuator for controlling the configuration of the implant, and a second control device for controlling the actuation of the second actuator. | 11-05-2009 |
20100197995 | LIGHT ACTIVATED HEARING AID DEVICE - The invention relates to a hearing aid device for humans with impaired hearing, who have an at least partially functional cochlea and a functional nervous signalling pathway from the cochlea via the auditory nerve to the brain. The hearing aid device contains a receiver, a transducer of the sound or other acoustic signals into electrical current serving as a signal representing a sound, a pulsed irradiation source connected to the transducer for receiving the electrical current and for generating modulated pulsed irradiation in dependence from the electrical current, and preferably one or more optical fibres optically coupled to the exit of the pulsed irradiation source, wherein the optical path for conduction of irradiation within the device ends directly opposite a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway, e.g. adjacent the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, or the oval window membrane. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198317 | COCHLEA STIMULATOR - The invention provides a cochlea stimulator for implantation comprising optical fibres of which are coupled to an irradiation source that is controlled by a modulator to generate irradiation specific for a pre-determined range of sound-frequencies. The cochlea stimulator effects a frequency-specific activation of the organ of Corti needed for speech perception especially in noisy environment and more complex sounds. For imparting excitation signals which are generated by modulated pulsed laser irradiation conducted within an optical fibre in order to elicit nervous signals in residual functional organ of Corti sections, the auditory prosthesis preferably contains optical fibres which are dimensioned to terminate in end sections within the cochlea at different sites or sections of the organ of Corti. e.g. having different lengths for locating their end sections at different internal parts of the cochlea. | 08-05-2010 |
20100291174 | BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION - The present invention is directed to a biologically active device with a main body made from a polymer, in which bioactive nanoparticles of one or several materials are embedded, wherein the nanoparticles of at least one material proliferatively act on a biological material contacted by the device, and wherein nanoparticles of a different material act in an anti-proliferative manner on biological material in the ambience of the device. The invention is also directed to a method of manufacturing a biologically active device with a main body made from a polymer, wherein nanoparticles of several different materials are dispersed in an injection-moldable fluid, and the fluid is shaped into the polymer main body by means of injection molding and curing, such that the nanoparticles are dispersed in the bulk of the polymer main body. According to the invention, the nanoparticles are generated by arranging at least two substrates of different material in a vessel filled with a fluid material, and by generating the nanoparticles by abrasion from the surface of the substrates in the fluid with laser radiation. | 11-18-2010 |
20110178364 | Incus Replacement Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis - An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlea striker mass is at the distal end of the prosthesis member and includes an outer striking surface for coupling vibration of the striker mass to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. A locking clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes a clamp strap having a fixed end and a free end, and a locking head at the fixed end of the clamp strap which has a strap opening for insertion of the free end of the clamp strap. The clamp strap passes around an ossicle of the middle ear in a closed loop and is fixedly engaged by the locking head such that acoustic vibration of the ossicle is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlea surface. | 07-21-2011 |
20120020504 | LIGHT ACTIVATED HEARING DEVICE - The invention relates to a hearing aid device for humans with impaired hearing, who have an at least partially functional cochlea and a functional nervous signalling pathway from the cochlea via the auditory nerve to the brain. The hearing aid device contains a receiver, a transducer of the sound or other acoustic signals into electrical current serving as a signal representing a sound, a pulsed irradiation source connected to the transducer for receiving the electrical current and for generating modulated pulsed irradiation in dependence from the electrical current, and preferably one or more optical fibres optically coupled to the exit of the pulsed irradiation source, wherein the optical path for conduction of irradiation within the device ends directly opposite a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway, e.g. adjacent the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, or the oval window membrane. | 01-26-2012 |
20120078368 | Device for variable-length fixing of the actuator end piece of an active hearing implant in the middle ear - A device for adjusting and fixing relative position between an actuator end piece of an active hearing implant and an element of the ossicular chain or a coupling part to the human inner ear has a connecting element with a first coupling element for coupling to the actuator end piece, a second coupling element, and a shaft-shaped middle part, and the first coupling element geometrically encompasses the actuator end piece with two opposing parallel arms each having a pattern element to fix the encompassed actuator end piece in selectable discrete axial positions in a direction parallel to an axis of the shaft-shaped middle part, for variable-length adaptation and fixing of the actuator end piece relative to the first coupling element in a direction transverse to the axis. | 03-29-2012 |
20120245666 | Implantable Auditory Prosthesis with Temporary Connector - An implantable electrode arrangement for an ear implant system is described. A proximal electrode lead has electrode wires for carrying one or more electrical stimulation signals. A distal electrode array has electrode contacts each forming a terminal end of an electrode wire for applying the electrical stimulation signals to target neural tissue, and one or more intra-operative sensors for generating insertion sensing signals during surgical insertion of the electrode array into the target tissue. An intra-operative electrode section has a sensor connector for providing a temporary connection of one or more external measurement arrangements to the one or more intra-operative sensors during the surgical insertion of the electrode array without being functional after the surgical insertion. | 09-27-2012 |
20120283666 | DRUG ELUTING COCHLEAR IMPLANTS - Drug delivery systems and biocompatible coatings for use with implantable stimulation devices such as cochlear implants have been developed. These drug delivery systems and coatings comprise polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers and copolymers. The drug delivery systems may be used to deliver pharmacologically active substances, for example, directly from a cochlear implant to the inner ear. The coatings can impart lubricity to cochlear devices for ease of insertion of the electrodes. In the preferred embodiment, the drug delivery system comprises a polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer, and in the most preferred embodiment, the PHA polymer comprises poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(4HB)) or copolymer thereof. A particularly preferred embodiment is where the silicone sheath of the cochlear implant electrodes has been surface modified, and coated with P(4HB), and the P(4HB) either contains a pharmacologically active substance or has been coated with such a substance. | 11-08-2012 |
20120290087 | Incus Replacement Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis - An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member formed from a single foldable plane structure and having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlear striker surface is located at the distal end of the prosthesis member for engaging an outer cochlear surface of a recipient patient. A transducer clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes multiple clamping fingers for securely engaging the outer surface of an enclosed acoustic signal transducer such that acoustic vibration of the signal transducer is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlear surface | 11-15-2012 |
20130060260 | Multi-actuator array for the specific deformation of an implant - An electronic control device assists in the insertion of an implant into the body of a patient, and allows the implant to be arbitrarily altered in shape by applying control signals. Patient-specific geometric body data from a body region into which the implant is to be introduced is input and stored. Computer-aided simulation of the insertion operation uses the patient-specific body data as a basis for simulating the insertion operation to produce actuation data which control the arbitrary alteration in the shape of the implant. The control device outputs the actuation data to the implant in the form of control signals on the basis of a sensed or calculated current introduction position of the implant according to the prior simulation. | 03-07-2013 |
20140094910 | Variable-length passive ossicular prosthesis - A passive ossicular prosthesis includes a first and second fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane. A connecting element connects the fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner. The connecting element includes a receiving part and an insertion part. The insertion part is inserted into a receiving opening of the receiving part. The receiving part encloses an end section of the insertion part in the manner of a clamp by way of two opposing, parallel legs disposed parallel to a shank axis of the connecting element. The legs have catch devices that fix the enclosed end section discrete spatial positions relative to the shank axis. | 04-03-2014 |
20150032124 | Cochlear Implant Electrode Insertion Support Device - An electrode insertion support device is used for inserting a cochlear implant electrode into a cochlea scala of a patient cochlea. A stiff electrode holder encloses at least a portion of a cochlear implant electrode while allowing the electrode within to slide freely. A pointed distal tip of the electrode holder is adapted to pierce an electrode opening through an outer surface of the patient cochlea into the cochlea scala. The insertion support device prevents an apical tip of the enclosed electrode from contacting tissues around the electrode opening during the insertion surgery. | 01-29-2015 |