Deployable and Multi-Sectional Hearing Implant Electrode

摘要

An implantable electrode is described for a cochlear implant patient with a malformed common cavity cochlea having a single internal cavity defined by an outer cavity wall or patients having an incomplete partition or conventional spiral-shaped cochlea. An intra-cochlear electrode array is configured to be inserted into the cochlea through a single cochleostomy opening. Outer array branches are closable about a center axis and the electrode array is configured to be closed into a single tube including the array branches for insertion through the single cochleostomy opening into the internal chamber of the cochlea. The electrode array opens within the internal cavity after insertion into the cochlea so that the array branches move away from the center axis to lie with their outer surfaces against the outer cavity wall to deliver the electrical stimulation signals through the stimulation contacts to adjacent neural tissue for auditory perception by the patient.

主权项

1. An implantable electrode for a cochlear implant patient with cochlea having a single internal cavity defined by an outer cavity wall, the electrode comprising:
an extra-cochlear electrode lead containing a plurality of signal wires for conducting electrical stimulation signals; and an intra-cochlear electrode array configured to be inserted into the cochlea through a single cochleostomy opening, the electrode array including a plurality of outer array branches closable about a center axis and each having an outer surface with one or more stimulation contacts for delivering the electrical stimulation signals to adjacent neural tissue; wherein the electrode array is configured to be closed into a single tube including the array branches for insertion through the single cochleostomy opening into the internal cavity of the cochlea, and wherein the electrode array is configured to be opened within the internal cavity after insertion into the cochlea so that the array branches move away from the center axis to lie with their outer surfaces against the outer cavity wall to deliver the electrical stimulation signals through the stimulation contacts to adjacent neural tissue for auditory perception by the patient.