WO2014179267A1 - Électrode d'implant cochléaire produisant un trauma minimal - Google Patents

Électrode d'implant cochléaire produisant un trauma minimal Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014179267A1
WO2014179267A1 PCT/US2014/035794 US2014035794W WO2014179267A1 WO 2014179267 A1 WO2014179267 A1 WO 2014179267A1 US 2014035794 W US2014035794 W US 2014035794W WO 2014179267 A1 WO2014179267 A1 WO 2014179267A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
electrode
carrier
electrode array
array according
rings
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2014/035794
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Anandhan Dhanasingh
Claude Jolly
Soeren Schilp
George ALEXIADES
Original Assignee
Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh filed Critical Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh
Publication of WO2014179267A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014179267A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
    • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
    • A61N1/02—Details
    • A61N1/04—Electrodes
    • A61N1/05—Electrodes for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
    • A61N1/0526—Head electrodes
    • A61N1/0541—Cochlear electrodes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an implantable electrode arrangement for cochlear implant systems.
  • a normal ear transmits sounds as shown in Figure 1 through the outer ear 101 to the tympanic membrane 102 which moves the bones of the middle ear 103 that vibrate the oval window and round window openings of the cochlea 104.
  • the cochlea 104 is a long narrow duct wound spirally about its axis for approximately two and a half turns. It includes an upper channel known as the scala vestibuli and a lower channel known as the scala tympani, which are connected by the cochlear duct.
  • the cochlea 104 forms an upright spiraling cone with a center called the modiolus where the spiral ganglion cells of the acoustic nerve 113 reside.
  • the fluid-filled cochlea 104 functions as a transducer to generate electric pulses which are transmitted to the cochlear nerve 113, and ultimately to the brain.
  • Hearing is impaired when there are problems in the ability to transduce external sounds into meaningful action potentials along the neural substrate of the cochlea 104.
  • auditory prostheses have been developed.
  • a conventional hearing aid may be used to provide acoustic-mechanical stimulation to the auditory system in the form of amplified sound.
  • a cochlear implant with an implanted electrode can electrically stimulate auditory nerve tissue with small currents delivered by multiple electrode contacts distributed along the electrode.
  • Figure 1 also shows some components of a typical cochlear implant system where an external microphone provides an audio signal input to an external signal processor 111 in which various signal processing schemes can be implemented.
  • the processed signal is then converted into a digital data format for transmission by external transmitter coil 107 into the implant 108.
  • the implant 108 also performs additional signal processing such as error correction, pulse formation, etc., and produces a stimulation pattern (based on the extracted audio information) that is sent through an electrode lead 109 to an implanted electrode array 110.
  • this electrode array 110 includes multiple stimulation contacts 112 on its surface that provide selective stimulation of the cochlea 104.
  • the electrode array 110 contains multiple electrode wires embedded in a soft silicone body referred to as the electrode carrier.
  • the electrode array 110 needs to be mechanically robust, and yet flexible and of small size to be inserted into the cochlea 104.
  • the material of the electrode array 110 needs to be soft and flexible in order to minimize trauma to neural structures of the cochlea 104. But an electrode array 110 that is too floppy tends to buckle too easily so that the electrode array 110 cannot be inserted into the cochlea 104 up to the desired insertion depth.
  • CI electrode arrays should be highly flexible in all directions in order to adapt to individual variations in curvature and changes in inclination of the ST for minimal trauma implantation.
  • Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a cochlear implant electrode array which includes electrode wires for carrying electrical stimulation signals. There is an electrode stimulation contact at a terminal end of each electrode wire for applying the electrical stimulation signals to adjacent neural tissue.
  • An elongated electrode carrier is formed of resilient material that encases the electrode wires. The carrier has a center longitudinal axis and an outer surface with contact openings that expose the stimulation contacts. Resilient friction reduction rings are distributed along and protrude above the outer surface of the electrode carrier acting to limit contact area between the electrode carrier and a scala side wall during surgical insertion of the electrode array into a cochlea of an implanted patient.
  • the rings have radial centers which may lie on the longitudinal axis of the electrode carrier, or they may be offset from the longitudinal axis of the electrode carrier. For example, the radial centers may be offset by a rotational angle from a centerline that passes through the stimulation contacts, which varies as a function of longitudinal position along the electrode carrier.
  • Each ring has a diameter that may lie perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electrode carrier, or one or more non-perpendicular angles to the longitudinal axis of the electrode carrier.
  • the rings may connected together in series to form one or more helical windings along the surface of the electrode carrier. And the rings may incorporate a friction-reducing lubricant material and/or a therapeutic drug adapted for release over a treatment period of time.
  • Figure 1 shows anatomical structures in a human ear having a cochlear implant system.
  • Figure 2 shows an example of a cochlear implant electrode with friction reduction rings according an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 3 shows details of friction reduction ring offsets according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 4 shows another example of a cochlear implant electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 5 shows another example of a cochlear implant electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 6 shows cross-section views of a cochlear scala with an implant electrode at various insertion angles.
  • the electrode carrier slides against one of the side walls of the scala tympani, either the outer lateral wall or the inner modiolus wall, or for some electrodes, against the basilar membrane (at the top of the scala tympani).
  • This sliding action is known to create damage to the cochlear tissue structures and can lead to loss of any residual hearing that may be present.
  • the electrode contacts are either facing the modiolar wall close to the neural elements or they are facing the outer lateral wall which may result in high impedance.
  • the electrode will be in different positions inside the scala tympani at different rotational turns of the cochlea.
  • FIG. 2 shows a cochlear implant electrode array 110 which includes an electrode carrier 202 with a center longitudinal axis 203 made of resilient material (e.g., soft silicone) that encases the electrode wires that carry the electrical stimulation signals. Openings in the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202 expose electrode stimulation contacts 112 that are at the terminal end of each electrode wire for applying the electrical stimulation signals to adjacent neural tissue. There are resilient friction reduction rings 201 (e.g., soft silicone) which are distributed along and protrude above the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202.
  • resilient friction reduction rings 201 e.g., soft silicone
  • the friction reduction rings 201 act to limit contact area between the electrode carrier 202 and a scala side wall (the outer lateral wall or the inner modiolus wall) and thereby reduce the sliding friction created during surgical insertion of the electrode array 110 into the cochlea.
  • the friction reduction rings 201 also help to reduce the electrode impedance by keeping some distance between the stimulation contacts 112 and the side wall of the scala tympani.
  • the electrode array 110 is a free fitting lateral wall electrode such that at different specific locations within the different turns of the cochlea, the electrode array 110 will be in different spatial positions within the scala tympani, sometimes closer to the outer lateral wall, sometimes closer to the upper basilar membrane, and sometimes closer to the inner modiolus wall. And the surgical insertion should be smooth (low friction) through the entire insertion path all the way from the outer basal turn to the inner apical turn. Thus rather than simple directed protrusions from the surface of the electrode carrier 202, the friction reduction rings 201 form a complete ring around the circumference of the electrode carrier 202.
  • the entire electrode array 110 may have an oval shape.
  • just portions of the electrode array 110 such as the portions between the friction reduction rings 201 or just the friction reduction rings 201 may have an oval shape.
  • the height of the friction reduction rings 201 might typically be between 10 and 50 ⁇ above the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202.
  • the size and height of the friction reduction rings 201 may vary depending on the cross-sectional sizes of the electrode array 110 itself and of the scala tympani at the target locations after final placement, see Fig. 6.
  • the height of the friction reduction rings 201 above the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202 may vary either in general or for specific friction reduction rings 201.
  • the height of an individual friction reduction ring 201 may sometimes be larger towards the outside (i.e., the lateral wall side) and sometimes larger at the inside (i.e., the modiolus wall side).
  • each friction reduction ring 201 has a diameter 204 that lies perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 203 of the electrode carrier 202. In other specific embodiments, one or more of the friction reduction rings 201 may lie at one or more non- perpendicular angles to the longitudinal axis 203 of the electrode carrier 202.
  • the radial centers 301 of the friction reduction rings 201 may be offset from the radial center 205 of the electrode carrier 202 (i.e. the longitudinal axis 203), and these offsets can have different orientation along the longitudinal axis 203 of the electrode carrier 202 so that the radial centers 301 of the friction reduction rings 201 may be offset by a rotational angle from a centerline that passes through the electrode stimulation contacts 112 which varies as a function of longitudinal position along the electrode carrier 202.
  • the friction reduction rings 201 may incorporate a friction- reducing lubricant material and/or a therapeutic drug adapted for release over a treatment period of time.
  • Figure 4 shows another example of a cochlear implant electrode 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention where the friction reduction rings 201 connected together in series to form a continuous helical winding 401 along the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202. Again the height of the helical winding 401 may vary as described above.
  • Figure 5 shows an example of a related embodiment of an electrode array 110 wherein the friction reduction rings 201 are connected together in series to form two separate continuous helical windings 501 and 502 along the outer surface of the electrode carrier 202.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Cardiology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à un réseau d'électrodes d'implant cochléaire qui comprend des fils électrodes destinés à porter des signaux de stimulation électrique. Un contact de stimulation d'électrode se trouve au niveau d'une extrémité terminale de chaque fil électrode pour appliquer les signaux de stimulation électrique à un tissu neuronal adjacent. Un porte-électrode allongé est composé d'un matériau élastique qui enveloppe les fils électrodes. Le porte-électrode comporte un axe longitudinal central et une surface externe, des ouvertures de contact exposant les contacts de stimulation. Des bagues de réduction de friction élastiques sont réparties le long de la surface externe du porte-électrode et font saillie au-dessus de cette surface du porte-électrode et servent à limiter la zone de contact entre le porte-électrode et une paroi latérale inclinée pendant une insertion chirurgicale du réseau d'électrodes dans une cochlée d'un patient implanté.
PCT/US2014/035794 2013-04-30 2014-04-29 Électrode d'implant cochléaire produisant un trauma minimal WO2014179267A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201361817438P 2013-04-30 2013-04-30
US61/817,438 2013-04-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2014179267A1 true WO2014179267A1 (fr) 2014-11-06

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Family Applications (1)

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PCT/US2014/035794 WO2014179267A1 (fr) 2013-04-30 2014-04-29 Électrode d'implant cochléaire produisant un trauma minimal

Country Status (1)

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WO (1) WO2014179267A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108421159A (zh) * 2018-03-19 2018-08-21 浙江诺尔康神经电子科技股份有限公司 定向电刺激人工耳蜗电极

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100087905A1 (en) * 2008-10-08 2010-04-08 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh Cochlear Tissue Protection from Electrode Trauma
US20120004715A1 (en) * 2010-06-30 2012-01-05 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh Ear Implant Electrode and Method of Manufacture

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100087905A1 (en) * 2008-10-08 2010-04-08 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh Cochlear Tissue Protection from Electrode Trauma
US20120004715A1 (en) * 2010-06-30 2012-01-05 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh Ear Implant Electrode and Method of Manufacture
US20130090711A1 (en) * 2010-06-30 2013-04-11 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh Helical Core Ear Implant Electrode

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108421159A (zh) * 2018-03-19 2018-08-21 浙江诺尔康神经电子科技股份有限公司 定向电刺激人工耳蜗电极
CN108421159B (zh) * 2018-03-19 2024-05-14 浙江诺尔康神经电子科技股份有限公司 定向电刺激人工耳蜗电极

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