Method for obtaining diagnostic information relating to a patient having an implanted transducer

• US 20050096561A1
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otologics, LLC (Cochlear Limited)
• Original Assignee: Otologics, LLC (Cochlear Limited)
• Inventors: Miller, Scott Allan III, Basinger, David L., Conn, Brian M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,997,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/559
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0051 by applying vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/121 evaluating hearing capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

Method for obtaining diagnostic information utilizing an electrical signal output from an implantable transducer. According to one aspect of the invention, a method includes the steps of vibrating an ossicular bone of a patient having an implanted transducer using an input provided over a biological conduction path. The method further includes sensing in the implanted transducer an initial movement of the ossicular bone caused by the input and obtaining an electrical signal output from the implanted transducer generated in response to sensing the initial movement. The electrical signal output is then utilized to determine the diagnostic information.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining diagnostic information relating to a patient having an implanted transducer, comprising:

vibrating an ossicular bone of the patient using an input provided to the ossicular bone over a biological conduction path, wherein the biological conduction path consists of biological components of the patient;

sensing in the implanted transducer an initial movement of the ossicular bone caused by the input provided over the biological conduction path;

obtaining an electrical signal output from the implanted transducer generated in response to sensing, in the implanted transducer, the initial movement of the ossicular bone; and

,

utilizing the electrical signal output to determine the diagnostic information relating to the patient.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibrating and sensing steps comprise:

vibrating the ossicular bone during a first time interval and sensing the initial movement during a second time interval, wherein the first and second time interval at least partially overlap.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibrating and sensing steps comprise:

vibrating the ossicular bone and sensing the initial movement substantially simultaneously.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

utilizing the electrical signal output to determine fitting parameter diagnostic information relating to at least one fitting parameter for the implanted transducer.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the at least one fitting parameter includes an interface between the implanted transducer and the ossicular bone and the utilizing step comprises:

assessing the interface between the ossicular bone and the implanted transducer.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the assessing step comprises:

determining if the implanted transducer is underloaded relative to the ossicular bone.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the assessing step comprises:

determining if the implanted transducer is overloaded relative to the ossicular bone.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the assessing step comprises:

determining if a desired interface exists between the implanted transducer and the ossicular bone.

9. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

repositioning the transducer relative to the ossicular bone in response to the assessing step.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

utilizing the electrical signal output to determine implanted transducer diagnostic information relating to the implanted transducer.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the implanted transducer diagnostic information includes at least one operating parameter of the implanted transducer.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one operating parameter includes a transducer performance parameter.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

utilizing the electrical signal output to determine auditory system diagnostic information relating to the patient'"'"'s auditory system.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the auditory system diagnostic information includes a mobility of the patient'"'"'s ossicular chain.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, the method comprising:

using the mobility of the patient'"'"'s ossicular chain to diagnose pathologies of the middle ear.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the pathologies are selected from the group of pathologies comprising:

bony growths, arthritic conditions, and otitis media.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibrating step includes:

introducing an acoustic signal into an ear canal of the patient.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibrating step comprises:

vibrating at least a portion of a skull of the patient.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibrating step comprises:

mechanically stimulating the tympanic membrane of the patient.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical signal output is generated in response to movement of an actuator of the implanted transducer by the ossicular bone.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the sensing step comprises:

transducing the movement of the actuator into the electrical signal output.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

comparing the electrical signal output with a predetermined electrical signal output to generate the diagnostic information.

23. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

comparing the electrical signal output with a predetermined range of electrical signal outputs to generate the diagnostic information.

24. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

calculating a ratio between the input and the electrical signal output; and

comparing the ratio to a predetermined ratio to generate the diagnostic information.

25. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the utilizing step comprises:

obtaining at least one signal value from the electrical signal output; and

comparing the at least one signal value with a corresponding predetermined value to obtain comparison data, wherein the comparison data is indicative of the diagnostic information.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the at least one value corresponds with a magnitude component of the electrical signal output.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the input comprises at least one component of a predetermined frequency, and wherein the magnitude component of the electrical signal output is obtained in corresponding relation to the predetermined frequency of the input component.

28. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the at least one value corresponds with a flow component of the electrical signal output.

29. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the vibrating, sensing, obtaining, and utilizing steps in connection with each of a plurality of patient assessments conducted as spaced timed intervals to obtain a corresponding plurality of comparison data; and

utilizing the plurality of comparison data to generate the diagnostic information as a function of time.