Intra-Cochlear Electrode with a Partially Detachable Hydrophilic Segment for Deferred Self-Positioning

• US 20080058914A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Med El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
• Original Assignee: Med El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
• Inventors: Abbasi, Farhang, Mirzadeh, Hamid, Jolly, Claude, Hochmair, Erwin, Farhadi, Mohammad
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/137
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes

Abstract

A perimodiolar electrode for cochlear implantation includes an electrode carrier having a front end and a back end. The electrode carrier includes one or more contacts and a hydrophilic segment that swells after insertion in a cochlea and detaches at least in part from the carrier. In accordance with related embodiments, the hydrophilic segment may detach from the electrode carrier between the front end and the back end. The detached hydrophilic segment may surround the modiolus of a scala tympani of the cochlea or the inner wall of a scala tympani of the cochlea.

Claims

1. A method for forming a cochlear implant electrode, the method comprising:

preparing a hydrophilic segment;

placing the hydrophilic segment in a first section of an electrode mold;

placing electrical contacts in a second section of the electrode mold; and

injecting an elastomeric carrier into the mold.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein preparing a hydrophilic segment includes forming a hydrogel.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein preparing a hydrophilic segment includes a mixing a hydrogel and an elastomer.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein mixing a hydrogel and an elastomer includes mixing a hydrogel and liquid silicone rubber.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein preparing a hydrophilic segment includes mixing an elastomer and a metal-based catalyst.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the mixing an elastomer and a metal-based catalyst includes mixing liquid silicone rubber and a platinum-based catalyst.

7. A method for preparing a hydrophilic segment, the method comprising:

adding a metal-based catalyst to an elastomer;

mechanically mixing the metal-based catalyst and the elastomer to form a crossed linked product;

de-gasing the mixture;

curing the mixture in a segment mold;

immersing the mixture in a polymerization solution; and

suspending the mixture in a sealed glass reactor.

8. A method according claim 7, further comprising:

raising the temperature to allow monomer, initiator, and cross-linker to react; and

removing the monomers and unreacted hompolymers by soxlet extraction in distilled water.