AU2019100725A4

AU2019100725A4 - A pre-bent cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism

Info

Publication number: AU2019100725A4
Application number: AU2019100725A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jianjun Li
Original assignee: China Jiliang University
Current assignee: China Jiliang University
Priority date: 2019-07-02
Filing date: 2019-07-02
Publication date: 2019-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-02

Abstract

Abstract The invention discloses a pre-bent artificial cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism, comprising a linear guide wire pre-arranged in a guide hole of pre-bent electrode and can straighten the electrode, and there is a connector in the outer end of such pre-bent electrode for the linear guide wire; the pushing mechanism comprises a guide wire positioning component connected with the connector, an electrode pushing component connected with the end of the pre-bent electrode and repulsively moving with the guide wire positioning component; The two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism includes the freedom of rotation of the X-axis and the Y-axis and the freedom of movement of the Y-axis and the Z-axis, and this mechanism carries and controls the position of the electrode implanting device; the pushing direction of the electrode pushing component is the same with the same negative direction of the Z-axis. The initial position adjustment of the electrode implantation is realized by the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism. The pre-bent electrode during the implantation can be inserted or retracted, and the rotation adjustment in the direction of the cochlear axis is automated, and the more sensitive force perception of the robot mechanism is utilized, all of these can help to achieve precise control of the position. 53,533 x Fig. 6 Fig. 7

Description

A PRE-BENT COCHLEAR ELECTRODE IMPLANTING DEVICE BASED ON A

PARALLEL MECHANISM

2019100725 02 Jul 2019

Technical field

The invention is related to an implanting device for a medical pre-bent cochlear electrode, and more particularly to an automatic implanting device for pre-bent cochlear electrode based on a parallel mechanism.

Background technique

The artificial cochlea is an electronic device that converts sound into a coded form of electrical signals by an external speech processor. The implanted body's electrode system directly stimulates 15 the auditory nerve to restore, enhance, and reconstruct the auditory function of the deaf. In the past two decades, with the development of high technology, artificial cochlea has developed rapidly and has started clinical applications from experimental research. Artificial cochlea is now the norm in the world for the treatment of severe deafness and full deafness, and it is currently the most successful biomedical engineering device.

The pre-bent electrode itself is formed in a cochlear-like form similar to that of the cochlea. For ease of implantation, a guide hole is provided in the middle of the electrode and a straight positioning guide wire is inserted to force the electrode to straighten before being implanted. For example, the Chinese utility model patent with the publication number CN 201260735Y discloses a 25 cochlear electrode implant device, which comprises a colloidal silica and a polar array pre-bent into a cochlear shape, and such pole array is composed of an electrode ring and an electrode wire, which is combined with a colloidal silica. It is characterized in that some supporting sections are arranged on the colloidal silica facing away from the pole array, and the supporting sections are integrated with the colloidal silica, and the supporting sections are provided with an elongated through hole 30 parallel with the pole array, which makes the pole array in cochlear shape straight by insertion of supporting steel core. When the pre-bent electrode is implanted, the cochlea begins to enter a spiral state after a part of the electrode is implanted, and a part of the electrode guide wire is withdrawn, and then, the electrode whose guide wire is withdrawn is naturally formed into a curve. The deeper the implantation is, the more the guide wire is withdrawn, and the more the electrode bends, 35 and the pre-bent electrode naturally holds the volute until the end of the implantation. The use of pre-bent electrodes allows the electrodes to better stimulate residual spiral ganglion cells in the volute.

During the implantation of the pre-bent electrode, the doctor needs to judge when the pre-bent electrode and the linear guide wire touch the inner wall, and coordinately operate the implanted electrode and extract the linear guide wire at a proper length. When implanting the pre-bent electrode of the artificial cochlea with existing medical method, the doctor holds the pre-bent electrode through the surgical instrument for electrode implantation, and the other hand draws the 45 guide wire, implantation is achieved by two hands. As the electrode implantation is deeper and

2019100725 02 Jul 2019 deeper, the guide wire withdrawn is getting longer and longer. The front electrode is more and more in contact with the cochlea, and the friction during implantation is getting larger and larger, and then, the interference of pre-bent electrode and the guide wire head with the contact force of the inner wall is greater, the more the hand feels will be blurred; at the same time, the doctor needs to change 5 the implantation angle to better fit the cochlear labyrinth during the implantation of the electrodes, which is judged by the feel and experience. The minimum perceived by human force is about 25mN, and the minimum threshold of perception exists, which leads that the electrode being easy to yield and the residual hearing of the patient is easy to be damaged in the implantation. It greatly increases the difficulty of the operation of the implant. Therefore, pre-bent electrode implantation is a very 10 challenging procedure, requiring a lot of professional training and rich clinical experience, and there are very few doctors who are able to finish pre-bending electrode implantation.

Summary of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a pre-bent cochlear electrode automatic implanting device based on a parallel mechanism, which simultaneously pulls a preset linear guide wire in a repulsive manner when pushing a pre-bent electrode through a repulsive moving structure. It solves the problem that the position adjustment is inconvenient as the two-handed cooperation is required when the pre-bent electrode is implanted and it is difficult to position the accuracy of the electrode.

Moreover, the automation of the pre-bent electrode implantation is realized by the robot through a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism, and the positional precision control and the more sensitive force perception of the robotic mechanism than the human are also utilized, so that the control to the position is more precise in the pre-bent electrode implantation, thereby effectively solving the above problems and/or drawbacks in the pre-bent electrode implantation process at least and providing the advantages that will be described later at least.

The technical solution adopted by the invention is: a pre-bent cochlear electrode automatic implanting device based on a parallel mechanism, comprising a pre-bent electrode which is pre-bent in a cochlear shape; a linear guide wire that is pre-set in a guide hole of the pre-bending electrode 30 and straightens the pre-bent electrode, and the linear guide wire is provided with a connector at the outer end of the pre-bent electrode; and a pushing mechanism includes a guide wire positioning component connected to the connector, an electrode pushing component coupled to the end of the pre-bent electrode and repulsively moving with the guide wire positioning component;

The pushing mechanism and the pre-bending electrode are fixed on a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism which includes a rotational degree of freedom of the X-axis and the Y-axis, and a degree of freedom of movement of the Y-axis and the Z-axis; the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism carries and controls the position of the electrode implanting device; the pushing direction of the electrode pushing component is consistent with the negative 40 direction of the Z-axis. The initial position of the pre-bent electrode implantation is adjusted at the entrance of the cochlea by a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism, and the insertion or retraction of the pre-bent electrode is performed during the implantation process, besides that, the automatic rotation adjustment is done along the axis of the cochlear labyrinth circuit. At the same time, it also uses the more sensitive force perception of the robot mechanism to achieve precise position control. The invention effectively solves the technical problem that the residual hearing of the patient is easily damaged during the implantation results from the restricted human force sense

2019100725 02 Jul 2019 in the pre-bent electrode implantation, thereby effectively improving the precision and safety of the implant surgery and reducing the difficulty of the electrode implantation surgery.

Preferably, the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism comprises a fixed platform, a movable platform and four branches of the same structure connected between the fixed platform and the movable platform. The technical scheme realizes the rotation of the movable platform in the X and Y directions and the movement in the Y and Z directions by connecting the fixed platform and the movable platform with four identical structural branches. Specifically, the four branches 10 having the same structure include a linear guide, a sliding block with a linear motor, a pull rod, and a carden and a ball pair respectively disposed at both ends of the pull rod.

Advantageously, such electrode pushing component comprises a linear driver which comprises a linear motor or hydraulic cylinder or an electrically driven ball screw coupled to the rail.

Advantageously, the guide wire positioning component includes a positioning inner cylinder and at least two clamping reeds disposed in the positioning inner cylinder in a barbed shape and circumferentially uniformed. The clamping reed facilitates the snap-in of the connector, and its elastic action eliminates the positioning gap of the linear guide wire at the same time.

Preferably, an axial elastic element acting in the direction of the clamping reed is provided in the positioning inner cylinder at the inner end of the clamping reed. The clamping joint of the piston and the elastic element can further eliminate the positioning gap of the linear guide wire. And when the pre-bent electrode is retracted in position adjustment, it can retract synchronically with the 25 pre-bent electrode under the cushioning effect of the elastic structure created by the elastic element, the piston and the connector.

The technical solution of the invention realizes position adjustment of the initial position of the electrode implantation through a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism at the 30 entrance of the cochlea, and inserts or retracts the pre-bent electrode during the implantation process, performing rotation adjustment automation along the axis of the cochlear labyrinth circuit. The more sensitive force perception of the robot mechanism is also utilized to achieve precise position control at the same time. The invention effectively solves the technical problem that the limited human force sense when the pre-bent electrode is implanted, and the residual hearing pf the 35 patient is easy to be damaged during the implantation process, effectively improves the precision and safety of the implant surgery, and reduces the difficult of the electrode implantation surgery.

Explanation of drawings

Pic 1 is a schematic view of the structure of the invention.

Pic 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of an electrode implanting device of the invention.

Pic 3 is a side view of the electrode implanting device of the invention.

Pic 4 is an enlarged view of A in Pic 3.

Pic 5 is a schematic view showing the structure of an electrode fixing groove for pushing the front end of the outer cylinder in the electrode implanting device of the invention.

2019100725 02 Jul 2019

Pic 6 is a schematic view showing the structure of a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism in the invention.

Pic 7 is an enlarged view of B in Pic 6.

The electrode implantation device 10, the pushing mechanism 11, the guide wire positioning component 12, the positioning inner cylinder 120, the rectangular observation hole 121, the bracket

122, the clamping reed 123, the piston 124, the elastic element 125, the base 126, and the electrode pushing component 13, pushing outer cylinder 130, the outer cylinder opening 131, the electrode fixing groove 132, the coupling 20, the linear actuator 21, the driving axis 211, the pre-bent electrode 30, the guiding hole 301, the tail 302, the linear guide wire 40, and the connector 401, the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism 50, the movable platform 51, the fixed platform 52, the branch 53, the ball pair 531, the cardan 532, the pull rod 533, the sliding block 534, and the linear guideway 535.

Detailed ways

The technical solutions of the invention will be further described in detail below through specific application and in conjunction with the drawings. It should be noted that new embodiments may be formed in any combination between the various embodiments described below or between the technical features without conflict.

Referring to Pic 1 and Pic 6, a pre-bent cochlear electrode automatic implant device based on a parallel mechanism includes an electrode implant device 10 and a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism 50. The electrode implanting device 10 is arranged in the moving platform 51 of two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism 50.

Referring to Pic 2, 3 and 6, the electrode implanting device 10 includes a base 126, a push mechanism 11 and a linear guide wire 40 pre-set in a guide hole 301 of the pre-bent electrode 30.

Electrode implant device 10 is fixed to the movable platform 51 of the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism 50 by the base 126. The linear guide wire 40 is set in the guide hole 301 of the pre-bent electrode 30. The connector 401 is set at the outer end of the linear guide 30 wire 40 outer of the end 302 of the pre-bent electrode 30. The connector 401 is a cone generally pointed back-shaped. The pushing mechanism 11 includes a guide wire positioning component 12 and an electrode pushing component 13.

Referring to Pic 4, the guide wire positioning component 12 includes a bracket 122 fixed to the base

126 and the positioning inner cylinder 120 integrally connected to the bracket 122. This positioning inner cylinder 120 is disposed at a substantially right angle to the bracket 122. The clamping reed

123 extending rearward in a barb shape is provided in the positioning inner cylinder 120. The clamping reeds 123 are at least two parts arranged circumferentially uniformly. The distance 40 between the ends of the clamping reeds 123 is slightly smaller than that of big end of the connector 401. The elastic element 125 and the piston 124 is provided in the positioning inner cylinder 120 on the inner side of the clamping reed 123. The piston 124 is adjacent to the end of the clamping reeds

123, and the elastic element 125 is positioned at the bottom of the piston 124 and the positioning inner cylinder 120. In this embodiment, the elastic element 125 is a compressed spring. However, the elastic element 125 may be an elastic rubber or other compressible material in other embodiments.

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A rectangular viewing hole 121 is provided under the positioning inner cylinder 120. The axis of the rectangular viewing hole 121 corresponds to the position of the clamping reed 123. And it 121 is arranged to facilitate the connector 401 of the linear guide wire 40 is snapped into the position between the rear end of the clamping reed 123 and the piston 124. After that, the connector 401 will receive the elastic force of the clamping reed 123 and the elastic element 125.

The electrode pushing component 13 includes a pushing outer cylinder 130 and a linear actuator 21 disposed on the rear end of the pushing outer cylinder 130. Referring to Pic 5, an end of the pushing outer cylinder 130 is provided with an electrode fixing groove 132 for connecting with the end 302 10 of the pre-bent electrode 30. In the present embodiment, the pushing outer cylinder 130 passes through the electrode fixing groove 132.

Although the connection between pushing outer cylinder 130 and the end 302 of the pre-bent electrode 30 through the electrode fixing groove 132 is a detachable connection using screws, it can also be other detachable connection method. The pushing outer cylinder 130 is sleeved outside the 15 positioning inner cylinder 120, and an outer cylinder opening 131 extending rearward from the front end is provided on the lower cylinder wall of the pushing outer cylinder 130. The outer cylinder opening 131 corresponds to the rectangular observation hole 121 of the positioning inner cylinder 120 in the circumferential direction.

When the bracket 122 remains stationary, the pushing outer cylinder 130 slides forward relative to the positioning inner cylinder 120, and forms a repulsive movement with the linear guide wire 40, that is, when the electrode pushing component 13 pushes the pre-bent electrode 30, the guide wire positioning component 12 keeps the linear guide wire 40 stationary. So, when the linear guide wire 40 keeps forward, the linear guide wire 40 is drawn out from the guiding hole 301 of the pre-bent 25 electrode 30 at the same time. The clamping reed 123 generates a slight rearward pull to the linear guide wire 40 through the connector 401, or or the connector 401 produces a slight compression deformation of the clamping reed 123 because of the friction of the main soft silicone when the linear guide wire 40 is withdrawn.

The piston 124 is pressed against the the connector 401 by the elastic element 125, eliminating the 30 position gap of the linear guide wire 40. When the pre-bent electrode 30 is retracted by the electrode pushing component 13, the elastic element 125, the piston 124 and the connector 401 will have the elastic structure function to retract synchronically with the pre-bent electrode 30. The extracted linear guide wire 40 is no longer inserted back into the guide hole, and will not damage or deformation the soft pre-bent electrode 30. In this embodiment, the electrode pushing component 13 35 uses a linear actuator 21 to move in the negative direction of the Z-axis. The the driving axis 211 of the linear actuator 21 and the pushing outer cylinder 130 may be an integrated connection structure, or the detachable connection structure of the coupling 20. Due to the fact that cochlear labyrinth will have two and a half circle in space, it is necessary to adjust the initial position of the electrode implantation at the entrance of the cochlea, and it requires the electrode to be inserted/received and 40 needs to rotate along the axis of the cochlear labyrinth in the process of pre-bent electrode implantation. The two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism robotic implant electrode can use a very small and stable force to implant the pre-bent electrode array into the correct position and withdraw the guide wire at the right time.

Referring to Pic 6, the two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism includes a movable platform 51, a fixed platform 52, and branches 53. The four branches 53 are identical in

2019100725 02 Jul 2019 construction and they all include a pull rod 533, a ball pair 531, a cardan 532, a sliding block 534 and a linear guideway 535. In this embodiment, one end of the ball pair 531 of the branch 53 is connected to the top of the pull rod 533, and the other end of the ball pair 531 is coupled to the movable platform 51, and the bottom of the pull rod 533 is connected to the sliding block 534 5 through the cardan 532, the sliding block 534 slides along the linear guideway 535 which is fixed into the fixed platform 52.

The sliding block 534 is driven by a linear motor in this embodiment. Parallel mechanism moves along the linear guide 535 through the sliding block 534 to achieve the pose transformation of the 10 parallel structure. The two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism can precisely control the position and posture adjustment during electrode implantation, including the rotation of the X-axis and the Y-axis and the movement of the Y-axis and Z-axis. Simultaneously, the electrode pushing component 13 on the movable platform 51 moves in the negative direction of the Z-axis.

The specific embodiments are intended to provide a clearer understanding of the invention and are 15 not to limit the right to the invention. Various changes are allowed in the premise of not breaking the purpose of the invention. Obvious modifications on technical staff in such fields are included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A pre-bent cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism comprises a pre-bent electrode (30) pre-bending in cochlear shape; such electrode is characterized in that: a

5 linear guide wire (40) pre-arranged in a guide hole (301) of pre-bent electrode (30) and can straighten the electrode, and there is a connector (401) in the outer end (302) of such pre-bent electrode (30) for the linear guide wire (40); a pushing mechanism (11), such pushing mechanism (11) includes a guide wire positioning component (12) coupled to the connector (401), and the electrode pushing component (13) connected to the end (302) of the pre-bent electrode (30) and 10 repulsively moving with the guide wire positioning component (12); the pushing mechanism (11) and the pre-bent electrode (30) are fixed in a two-rotation and two-movement parallel mechanism (50) which includes a fixed platform (52), a movable platform (51), and four identically structured branches (53) connected between the fixed platform (52) and the movable platform (51) with X-axial and Y-axial symmetry.

15

2. The pre-bending cochlear implanting device based on a parallel mechanism according to claim 1 is characterized by the four branches (53), and all of them include a ball pair (531), a pull rod (533), and a cardan (532), sliding block (534) and linear guideway (535).

3. The pre-bending cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 is characterized by the electrode pushing component (13) which

20 comprises a linear driver (21); the linear driver ( 21) includes a linear motor or a hydraulic cylinder or a ball screw which is mounted on a guide rail connecting the motor.

4. The pre-bending cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 is characterized by the guide wire positioning component (12) which comprises a positioning inner cylinder (120) and two clamping reeds (123) at least disposed at such

25 inner cylinder (120) which are barbed and circumferentially evenly distributed.

5. The pre-bending cochlear electrode implanting device based on a parallel mechanism according to claim 4 is characterized by an axial elastic element (125) that acts in the direction of the clamping reed (123) located at the positioning inner cylinder (120) at the inner end of the clamping reed (123).