MOUNTABLE TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY WITH REMOVABLE SLEEVE

摘要

A mountable transducer assembly with removable sleeve provides for efficient and versatile implantation of transducers that are part of an implantable hearing assistance system. The invention provides for a universal connector and bracket where the universal connector can be removed from the bracket without the necessity of unmounting the bracket from its implanted location, for example, attached to the mastoid bone in the middle ear region. Further, the invention provides for three-dimensional movement of a transducer assembly attached to a removable column which further extends the flexibility and options for an implantation surgeon when implanting an implantable hearing-assistance device requiring one or more transducers. The sleeve, with attached transducer assembly, is further slidably adjustable in a longitudinal manner, to further extend the options and flexibility for the implantation surgeon to achieve good contact between a transducer and a target anatomical structure within the middle ear. There are further options for the implantation surgeon to use non-functioning replicas of the transducer assembly that can be both pliable and transparent to further aid in sizing the transducer and transducer assembly for successful implantation within a hearing-impaired subject.