Surgical instrument set and procedure for implanting sound transducer proximate to patient's outer ear canal
First Claim
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1. A method for implanting a hearing aid in a patient so as to extend percutaneously into the patient'"'"'s outer ear canal, said method comprising:
- providing an elongate shaft having an outer wall surrounding at least one elongate lumen extending through said shaft to a distal end;
tunneling said shaft from a location behind the patient'"'"'s pinna to a position said shaft distal end in subcutaneous tissue proximate to said patient'"'"'s ear canal;
inserting an elongate tool through said lumen so as to position a tool cutting edge proximate to said shaft distal end;
advancing said tool cutting edge past said shaft distal end to form a percutaneous hole opening into said ear canal;
providing a hearing aid housing having a stud projecting therefrom; and
transporting said housing through said lumen to said shaft distal end to position said stud in said percutaneous hole opening into said ear canal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing aid system (10) including an implantable device (60), and a surgical instrument (134) for enabling a physician to install the implant (60) in a patient'"'"'s body in a simple office procedure using only local anesthesia.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for implanting a hearing aid in a patient so as to extend percutaneously into the patient'"'"'s outer ear canal, said method comprising:
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providing an elongate shaft having an outer wall surrounding at least one elongate lumen extending through said shaft to a distal end; tunneling said shaft from a location behind the patient'"'"'s pinna to a position said shaft distal end in subcutaneous tissue proximate to said patient'"'"'s ear canal; inserting an elongate tool through said lumen so as to position a tool cutting edge proximate to said shaft distal end; advancing said tool cutting edge past said shaft distal end to form a percutaneous hole opening into said ear canal; providing a hearing aid housing having a stud projecting therefrom; and transporting said housing through said lumen to said shaft distal end to position said stud in said percutaneous hole opening into said ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A medical device configured for implantation at a subcutaneous site in a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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a housing defining a body portion configured for mounting subcutaneously proximate to a patient'"'"'s ear canal and a stud portion extending from said body portion for percutaneously projecting into said ear canal; an electroacoustic transducer mounted in said housing for projecting sound energy from said stud portion; said body portion defining a noncircular cross-section; and a porous layer carried by a peripheral surface area of said housing for promoting soft tissue ingrowth. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. In combination, a hearing aid housing and an instrument set for transporting said housing through a subcutaneous tunnel from a location behind a patient'"'"'s pinna to a subcutaneous location proximate to the patient'"'"'s ear canal, said combination comprising:
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said instrument set including an elongate shaft having a distal end configured for tunneling through soft body tissue to said subcutaneous location proximate to said ear canal, said shaft defining a lumen extending from an entrance opening to an exit opening at said distal end; said hearing aid housing configured for passage through said entrance opening, said lumen, and said exit opening; and a pusher member configured for axial movement in said shaft for pushing said housing through said lumen for implanting at said subcutaneous location. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification