Implantable hearing aid and method of improving hearing
First Claim
1. A method for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject, said subject, if anatomically normal, having a tympanic membrane for generating mechanical tympanic vibration in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear capable of phonoreception, and an ossicular chain comprising an incus, a malleus, and a stapes, intended for communicating mechanical vibrations from said tympanic membrane to said inner ear, said method comprising the steps of:
- interrupting said ossicular chain to preclude transmission of said mechanical vibrations between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear of said subject; and
,surgically interposing an implant within said ossicular chain, between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear to facilitate electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve, said implant comprising;
transducer means for converting said mechanical vibrations to electrical signals, having controlled amplification characteristics; and
transmission means for communicating said electrical signals from said transducer means to said inner ear;
wherein said transducer means includes means operatively associated with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject who, if anatomically normal, possesses a tympanic membrane intended for generating mechanical tympanic vibrations in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear responsive to mechanical vibrations, and an ossicular chain intended to communicate mechanical vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear; wherein the ossicular chain is interrupted to preclude transmission of mechanical vibrations between the tympanic membrane and the inner ear of the subject and an implant is surgically interposed within the ossicular chain to form an independent link between the tympanic membrane and the inner ear, which implant is comprised of a transducer for converting mechanical signals generated at the tympanic membrane into electrical signals for direct electrical stimulation of the inner ear.
114 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject, said subject, if anatomically normal, having a tympanic membrane for generating mechanical tympanic vibration in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear capable of phonoreception, and an ossicular chain comprising an incus, a malleus, and a stapes, intended for communicating mechanical vibrations from said tympanic membrane to said inner ear, said method comprising the steps of:
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interrupting said ossicular chain to preclude transmission of said mechanical vibrations between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear of said subject; and
,surgically interposing an implant within said ossicular chain, between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear to facilitate electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve, said implant comprising; transducer means for converting said mechanical vibrations to electrical signals, having controlled amplification characteristics; and transmission means for communicating said electrical signals from said transducer means to said inner ear; wherein said transducer means includes means operatively associated with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An implantable apparatus for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject, said subject, if anatomically normal, having a tympanic membrane for generating mechanical tympanic vibrations in response to sound waves impinging thereon, and an ossicular chain comprising an incus, a malleus, and a stapes for communicating said tympanic vibrations to the inner ear of said subject, said apparatus comprising:
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transducer means for converting said tympanic vibrations to electrical signals, having controlled amplification characteristics, configured for bridging disposition in an interrupted ossicular chain of said subject as an independent electromechanical link between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear of said subject, said transducer means disposed in operative association with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof; and transmission means for communicating said electrical signals from said transducer means to said inner ear for effecting electrical stimulation thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification