Intra-Cochlear Electrode with a Partially Detachable Hydrophilic Segment for Deferred Self-Positioning
First Claim
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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.
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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.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for forming a cochlear implant electrode, the method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for preparing a hydrophilic segment, the method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification