Magnetic ossicular replacement prosthesis
First Claim
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1. A middle ear ossicular replacement prosthesis for replacing at least a portion of the ossicular chain by making contact with two separated locations in the middle ear and for use with a hearing aid producing a magnetic field corresponding to sound waves received by the wearer, comprising:
- a head portion adapted for contacting the tympanic membrane, said head portion including a magnet; and
a shaft portion adapted to extend from said head portion to a location in the middle ear,wherein said head portion and said shaft portion are adapted to transmit to the inner ear the acoustically induced vibrations of the tympanic membrane received by said head portion and the magnetically induced vibrations developed by the coupling of the magnetic field produced by said magnet and the magnetic field produced by the hearing aid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ossicular replacement prosthesis containing a magnet in the head of the prosthesis so that when used with a magnetic induction hearing aid having a coil producing a magnetic field, the hearing losses resulting from insertion of the prosthesis and any other remaining hearing losses can be corrected without the difficulties associated with conventional acoustic hearing aids.
196 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A middle ear ossicular replacement prosthesis for replacing at least a portion of the ossicular chain by making contact with two separated locations in the middle ear and for use with a hearing aid producing a magnetic field corresponding to sound waves received by the wearer, comprising:
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a head portion adapted for contacting the tympanic membrane, said head portion including a magnet; and a shaft portion adapted to extend from said head portion to a location in the middle ear, wherein said head portion and said shaft portion are adapted to transmit to the inner ear the acoustically induced vibrations of the tympanic membrane received by said head portion and the magnetically induced vibrations developed by the coupling of the magnetic field produced by said magnet and the magnetic field produced by the hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification