Apparatus and methods for directly displacing the partition between the middle ear and inner ear at an infrasonic frequency

• US 7,179,238 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hissong, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US10/151,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 601/10, 601/41, 601/46, 601/76, 601/77, 607 55- 57, 607136-137, 600/25, 600/379, 600/552, 600/559, 623/10
• US Class Current: 601/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00787 Surgery of the ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/202 Surgical middle-ear ventilation or drainage, e.g. permanent; Implants therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 21/00 Massage devices for cavities of the body , e.g. nose, ears and anus for the genitals A61H19/00; Vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/027 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/058 with ultrasound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0662 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

An apparatus for displacing a partition between a middle ear and an inner ear to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease or endolymphatic hydrops comprises a treatment member for being disposed in the middle ear adjacent the partition and a driver for driving the treatment member to move against the partition to thereby displace the partition at an infrasonic frequency to influence fluid distribution in the inner ear. A method for treating an ear comprises the steps of disposing a treatment device within the middle ear and moving at least a portion of the treatment device against the partition at an infrasonic frequency to displace the partition to influence fluid in the inner ear.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displacing a partition between a middle ear and an inner ear to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising

a treatment member for positioning adjacent a selected portion of the partition;

and

a driver for driving said treatment member to move against the selected portion of the partition at an infrasonic frequency to influence fluid in the inner ear.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said treatment member comprises a transducer.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said treatment member includes a shaft connected to said transducer and a plunger connected to said shaft for moving against the selected portion of the partition.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said driver generates an electrical signal to drive said transducer.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said treatment member comprises a floating mass treatment member.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said treatment member comprises a free-floating magnet treatment member.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said driver drives said treatment member to reciprocate.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said driver drives said treatment member to vibrate.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said driver drives said treatment member to oscillate.

11. An apparatus for displacing a partition between a middle ear and an inner ear to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising

treatment means for positioning adjacent a selected portion of the partition;

and

driving means for driving said treatment means to move against the selected portion of the partition whereby the selected portion of the partition is displaced at an infrasonic frequency to influence fluid in the inner ear.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said treatment means comprises a transducer.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 12 wherein said transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein said driving means comprises a signal generator for supplying an electrical signal to said transducer.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein said driving means further comprises a pulse generator.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said treatment means comprises a floating mass treatment member.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said treatment means comprises a free-floating magnet treatment member.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 11 and further including a power supply for said driving means.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 18 wherein said power supply is integral with said apparatus.

20. A method for treating an ear, having a middle ear and an inner ear separated by a partition, to treat the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease comprising the steps of

disposing a treatment member within the middle ear;

and

moving the treatment member against a selected portion of the partition to displace the selected portion of the partition at an infrasonic frequency to influence fluid in the inner ear.

21. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of moving comprises moving the treatment member against the round window membrane to displace the round window membrane.

22. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of moving comprises moving the treatment member against the stapes to displace the stapes footplate.

23. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of disposing comprises contacting the selected portion of the partition with the treatment member.

24. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of moving comprises reciprocating the treatment member.

25. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of moving comprises vibrating the treatment member.

26. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 20 wherein said step of moving comprises oscillating the treatment member.

27. A method for treating an ear having a middle ear and an inner ear separated by a partition comprising the steps of

disposing a treatment device within the middle ear adjacent the partition;

and

moving at least a portion of the treatment device at an infrasonic frequency to displace the partition to influence fluid in the inner ear.

28. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 where said step of moving includes stimulating motion of fluid in the inner ear.

29. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of moving comprises alleviating the symptoms of Meniere'"'"'s disease.

30. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of moving comprises alleviating vertigo.

31. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of moving comprises alleviating tinnitus.

32. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of moving comprises alleviating fullness of the ear.

33. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of moving comprises alleviating hearing loss.

34. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of disposing comprises disposing a treatment member of the treatment device in contact with the partition and said step of moving comprises supplying a signal to the treatment member and causing the treatment member to move in accordance with the signal.

35. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 27 wherein said step of disposing includes implanting at least the portion of the treatment device in the middle ear.

36. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 35 wherein said step of implanting includes implanting a treatment member of the treatment device in the middle ear and said step of moving includes driving the treatment member to displace the partition from externally of the ear.

37. The method for treating an ear recited in claim 35 wherein said step of implanting includes implanting a treatment member of the treatment device in the middle ear and implanting a driver of the treatment device in the ear, and said step of moving includes driving the treatment member to displace the partition via the driver.