Cochlear implant electrode array
First Claim
1. An implantable tissue-stimulating device comprising:
- an elongate carrier including a carrier body, the elongate carrier having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon and having a first configuration selected to allow said member to be inserted into an implantee'"'"'s body and at least a second configuration wherein said elongate member is adapted to apply a preselected tissue stimulation with the electrodes, said elongate carrier being made of a resiliently flexible first material; and
a bioresorbable stiffening element having a configuration selected for biassing said elongate member into said first configuration, said stiffening element being made of a second material relatively stiffer than said first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to a fluid to permit said elongate carrier to at least approach or adopt said second configuration,wherein the stiffening element extends in an interior of the carrier body along a direction of extension of the carrier body, the carrier body having at least one fluid ingress formed therein placing the stiffening element in fluid communication with an exterior of the elongate carrier.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cochlear implant electrode assembly (10) comprising an elongate electrode carrier member (11), a bioresorbable stiffening element (15) and an outer layer (16) surrounding the stiffening element (15). The carrier member (11) is made of a resiliently flexible first material and has a plurality of electrodes (12) mounted thereon and has a first configuration selected to allow it to be inserted into an implantee'"'"'s cochlea, and at least a second configuration wherein it is curved to match a surface of the cochlea. The bioresorbable stiffening element (15) has a configuration selected for biasing the elongate member (11) into the first configuration and is made of a second material relatively stiffer than the first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to cochlear fluids to permit the elongate member (11) to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer (16) surrounding the stiffening element (15) is made of a material sufficiently resiliently flexible to allow the elongate member (11) to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer (16) has a first rate of cochlear fluid ingress therethrough and has at least one fluid ingress means (21) formed therein. The rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the fluid ingress means (21) is greater than the first rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the outer layer (16).
42 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An implantable tissue-stimulating device comprising:
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an elongate carrier including a carrier body, the elongate carrier having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon and having a first configuration selected to allow said member to be inserted into an implantee'"'"'s body and at least a second configuration wherein said elongate member is adapted to apply a preselected tissue stimulation with the electrodes, said elongate carrier being made of a resiliently flexible first material; and a bioresorbable stiffening element having a configuration selected for biassing said elongate member into said first configuration, said stiffening element being made of a second material relatively stiffer than said first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to a fluid to permit said elongate carrier to at least approach or adopt said second configuration, wherein the stiffening element extends in an interior of the carrier body along a direction of extension of the carrier body, the carrier body having at least one fluid ingress formed therein placing the stiffening element in fluid communication with an exterior of the elongate carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A cochlear implant electrode assembly comprising:
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an elongate electrode carrier member having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon and having a first configuration selected to allow said member to be inserted into an implantee'"'"'s cochlea and at least a second configuration wherein said elongate member is curved to match a surface of said cochlea, said elongate member being made of a resiliently flexible first material; a bioresorbable stiffening element having a configuration selected for biassing said elongate member into said first configuration, said stiffening element being made of a second material relatively stiffer than said first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to cochlear fluids to permit said elongate member to at least approach or adopt said second configuration; and an outer layer surrounding the stiffening element, the layer being made of a material sufficiently resiliently flexible to allow said elongate member to at least approach or adopt said second configuration, the outer layer having a first rate of cochlear fluid ingress therethrough and having at least one fluid ingress means formed therein, the rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the fluid ingress means being greater than the first rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the outer layer. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A cochlear implant electrode assembly comprising:
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an elongate carrier including a carrier body, wherein the elongate carrier includes a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon; and a bioresorbable stiffening element extending in an interior of the assembly along a direction of extension of the elongate carrier, wherein the assembly is configured to permit ingress of body fluid into the interior of the assembly through the carrier body so that the body fluid comes into contact with the stiffening element, wherein the stiffening element is configured to at least one of dissolve or soften when in contact with the body fluid so that resistance to flexure of the elongate carrier from a first configuration that is substantially straight to a second configuration that is substantially curved is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification