Fully Implantable Hearing Aid System

• US 20080139874A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Slattery, William, Mann, Alfred E., Moran, Byron L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers

Abstract

A fully implantable hearing aid system comprised of an implantable sound generator module and an implantable sound receiver module connected by an implantable electric cable. The system includes: a) a sound generator module configured for implantation in subcutaneous tissue to place an output electric/acoustic (E/A) transducer, e.g., a speaker, immediately adjacent to, or preferably, extending percutaneously into, a patient'"'"'s outer ear canal; b) a sound receiver module configured for implantation proximate to a patient'"'"'s pinna to place an input acoustic/electric (AJE) transducer, e.g., a microphone, so that it is acoustically isolated from the E/A transducer; and c) an electric cable configured for implantation in subcutaneous tissue for directly electrically connecting said sound receiver module and said sound generator module.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing a patient'"'"'s ability to hear audible sound, said system comprising:

a sound generator module including an output transducer responsive to an applied electric drive signal for producing sound energy;

said sound generator module comprising a housing configured for implantation in subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the patient'"'"'s outer ear canal for projecting said sound energy into said outer ear canal;

a sound receiver module including an input transducer responsive to audible sound for producing an electric drive signal representative of said audible sound;

said sound receiver module comprising a case configured for implantation proximate to the patient'"'"'s pinna;

an electric cable connecting said sound receiver module to said sound generator module for applying said electric drive signal to said output transducer; and

wherein

said electric cable is configured for subcutaneous implantation extending form said sound receiver module to said sound generator module.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said sound generator module housing includes a body portion and a projecting stud portion;

and wherein

said stud portion is configured to project percutaneously through the patient'"'"'s skin surrounding said outer ear canal for projecting sound energy into said outer ear canal.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said stud portion defines an outer surface;

and wherein

a layer of porous material is mounted on said stud outer surface for promoting tissue ingrowth.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said stud portion projects from a shoulder surface of said body portion;

and wherein

a layer of porous material is mounted on said shoulder surface for promoting tissue ingrowth.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said output transducer comprises a speaker mounted in said housing and oriented to project sound energy through said stud into said patient'"'"'s outer ear canal.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said input transducer comprises a microphone mounted in said case and oriented to respond to audible sound for producing an electric drive signal.

7. The system of claim 6 further including signal processing circuitry in said housing for responding to the electric drive signal produced by said microphone for applying an electric drive signal to said speaker.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said sound receiver module case has a thickness of 2 mm or less for enabling said case to be subcutaneously implanted between the patient'"'"'s skin and temporal bone proximate to said patient'"'"'s pinna.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said sound receiver module input transducer is implanted subcutaneously.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said sound receiver module input transducer extends percutaneously.

11. A method for implanting a hearing aid system for projecting sound energy into a patient'"'"'s outer ear canal, said method comprising;

providing a sound generator module operable to produce sound energy in response to an applied electric drive signal;

implanting said sound generator module in a patient'"'"'s subcutaneous tissue for projecting said produced sound energy into said patients outer ear canal;

providing a sound receiver module responsive to audible sound for producing an electric drive signal;

implanting said sound receiver module proximate to said patient'"'"'s pinna; and

subcutaneously implanting an electric cable extending between said sound receiver module and said sound generator module.

12. the method of claim 11 wherein said step of providing a sound receiver module comprises providing a thin case having a microphone diaphragm.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said diaphragm is subcutaneously implanted.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said diaphragm is percutaneously implanted.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said thin case has a thickness of 2 mm or less and is implanted against the patient'"'"'s temporal bone.