Laser-activatable variable-length ossicular prosthesis

摘要

An ossicular prosthesis includes a first fastening element formed as a perforated tympanic membrane top plate and a second fastening element for coupling to a stapes of an inner ear of a patient under treatment. The ossicular prosthesis includes a connecting element having an adjusting device for adjusting the axial length. The connecting element includes two partial branches that extend symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis, are extendable, compressible or both, can be permanently plastically deformed, and are folded in multiple loops. The loops are made from a material having a memory effect. Each of the loops of one of the partial branches has an activation tab that is thermally conductively attached to the most radially remote outer area, extends radially away from the loop, and has an activation surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The activation surfaces have a successively increasing radial distance in the axial direction.

主权项

1. An ossicular prosthesis that replaces or bridges at least one component of the human ossicular chain, comprising:
at one end, a first fastening element designed as a perforated top plate for placement against a tympanic membrane; at another end, a second fastening element for mechanically connecting the prosthesis to a head of stapes or a base of stapes; and an elongate connecting element that interconnects the first and the second fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner; wherein the elongate connecting element includes an adjusting device for adjusting an axial length of the ossicular prosthesis in an axial direction of the elongate connecting element; wherein the first fastening element is mechanically rigidly connected to one end of the elongate connecting element; wherein the second fastening element is mechanically rigidly connected to another axially opposite end of the elongate connecting element; wherein the adjusting device includes at least two partial branches that extend symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongate connecting element, are extendable, compressible or both in the axial direction, are permanently plastically deformable, and are folded into multiple loops transverse to the longitudinal axis in a serpentine, meandering, or accordion-like manner, before being deformed; wherein parts of the ossicular prosthesis are made from a material having a memory effect; wherein the loops of the adjusting device are made from a material having a memory effect; wherein each of the loops of at least one of the two partial branches has an activation tab which is mechanically and thermally conductively attached to an outer area of each particular loop that is located radially furthest from the longitudinal axis; wherein the activation tab extends radially away from the loop and has an activation surface oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that induces a thermal activation of the associated loop via the effect of heat; wherein the activation surfaces associated with the loops have a radial separation from the longitudinal axis which successively continuously increases in the axial direction from the first fastening element along the longitudinal axis of the elongate connecting element to the second fastening element; wherein an opening through the perforated top plate of the first fastening element is geometrically designed in such a way that, when the first fastening element is viewed along the longitudinal axis, all the activation surfaces are visible through the opening; and wherein the activation surfaces are contactlessly heated from an outside using thermal radiation to activate the associated loops.