System and method for using a multi-contact electrode to stimulate the cochlear nerve or other body tissue
First Claim
1. A method of cochlear stimulation for patients with high stimulation thresholds, comprising:
- providing a cochlear stimulation system that includes an array of electrode contacts E1 . . . EN, wherein the number of electrode contacts N is at least 2, and wherein each electrode contact is independently programmable;
measuring a stimulation threshold including pulse width and pulse amplitude for at least one of the electrode contacts;
determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold; and
stimulating at least two adjacent electrodes concurrently with stimulus currents I1 and I2, when the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold; and
wherein determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold comprises determining whether the pulse width exceeds about 50 microseconds and the pulse amplitude exceeds about 80% of a system compliance voltage.
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Abstract
A system and method for preserving temporal and spatial resolution in complex sounds for poor performing patients having high stimulation thresholds is described. The system and method employs two or more adjacent electrode contacts to deliver concurrent stimulation. This concurrent delivery of stimuli creates a high current field intensity that overlaps between individual current fields generated by the two or more adjacent electrodes and which individual fields are summed to create an overlapping field that has a higher current field intensity than a single current emanating from an individual electrode. The use of this method reduces or eliminates the need to increase either the stimulus current amplitude or to increase the pulse width, both of which may cause loss of system resolution, i.e., loss of fine structure information that is used to resolve complex sounds such as music.
56 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of cochlear stimulation for patients with high stimulation thresholds, comprising:
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providing a cochlear stimulation system that includes an array of electrode contacts E1 . . . EN, wherein the number of electrode contacts N is at least 2, and wherein each electrode contact is independently programmable; measuring a stimulation threshold including pulse width and pulse amplitude for at least one of the electrode contacts; determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold; and stimulating at least two adjacent electrodes concurrently with stimulus currents I1 and I2, when the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold; and wherein determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold comprises determining whether the pulse width exceeds about 50 microseconds and the pulse amplitude exceeds about 80% of a system compliance voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of cochlear stimulation for patients with high stimulation thresholds, comprising:
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providing a cochlear stimulation system that includes an array of electrode contacts E1 . . . EN, wherein the number of electrode contacts N is at least 2, and wherein each electrode contact is independently programmable to be stimulated with a stimulation pulse having a programmed level, and further wherein a maximum stimulation level of the stimulation system is limited by a compliance voltage of the cochlear stimulation system; measuring a stimulation threshold including pulse width and pulse amplitude for at least one of the electrode contacts; determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold, wherein the high stimulation threshold comprises one wherein the measured stimulation threshold exceeds a predetermined level relative to the compliance voltage of the stimulation system; and when the measured stimulation threshold represents the high stimulation threshold, simultaneously stimulating at least two adjacent electrodes; and wherein determining whether the measured stimulation threshold represents a high stimulation threshold comprises determining whether the pulse width exceeds about 50 microseconds or the pulse amplitude exceeds about 80% of the system compliance voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification