Cochlear electrode insertion

• US 8,594,799 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Haller, Matthew I., Overstreet, Edward H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAHMOOD, NADIA AHMAD
• Application Number:
  US12/610,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 607/57, 607/137
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes

Abstract

A system for mechanically assisted insertion of an electrode includes: an insertion tool configured to insert the electrode into biological tissues; and a controller configured to control the insertion tool, in which the controller is further configured to select operating parameters comprising a maximum allowable force profile from a library of operating parameters, in which the maximum allowable force profile is generated from data recorded during a number of previous successful operations. Also, a method for insertion of a cochlear lead, includes: selecting operating parameters comprising a maximum allowable force profile from a library of operating parameters; inserting the cochlear lead while sensing real time force and position; and continuing the insertion while the real time force is below the maximum allowable force profile, in which the maximum allowable force profile is generated from data recorded during a number of previous successful operations.

Claims

1. A method for insertion of a cochlear lead, comprising:

generating a maximum allowable force profile from data recorded during a number of previous successful operations;

selecting operating parameters comprising the maximum allowable force profile from a library of operating parameters;

inserting said cochlear lead while sensing real time force and position;

continuing said insertion while said real time force is below said maximum allowable force profile; and

taking corrective action when the real time force approaches said maximum allowable force profile by matching said operating parameters, real time force, and position to a library of previous surgical data.

2. The method of claim 1, in which said step of inserting said cochlear lead comprises:

controlling an insertion tool via a controller, controlling an insertion tool via a controller and via manual manipulation, controlling an insertion tool via manual manipulation, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information comprising one or more of;

the patient'"'"'s diagnostic imaging, case history, and diagnosis;

in which the selecting step comprises basing said maximum allowable force profile on the information.

4. The method of claim 1, in which said data recorded during a number of previous successful operations includes data comparing preoperative and postoperative residual hearing capability of the patients associated with said previous successful operations.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a minimum force trajectory from said library, said minimum force trajectory describing a multidimensional trajectory of said cochlear lead that is expected to require minimum insertion force.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising taking corrective action if there exists a substantial deviation of said real time force from said minimum force trajectory.

7. A system for insertion of an electrode comprising:

an insertion tool configured to insert said electrode into biological tissues; and

a number of force sensors configured to provide data of real time forces applied in a number of directions by said electrode to said biological tissues,

wherein said system is further configured to select operating parameters comprising a maximum allowable force profile from a library of operating parameters,

wherein said maximum allowable force profile is generated from data recorded during a number of previous successful operations,

wherein said insertion tool is configured to insert said electrode into biological tissues while said real time forces are below said maximum allowable force profile, and

wherein said controller is configured to automatically select a corrective action when said real time forces approach said maximum allowable force profile by matching said operating parameters and real time forces and position to a library of previous surgical data.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to control said insertion tool in which said controller selects said operating parameters.

9. The system of claim 7, in which said controller is further configured to insert said electrode while said force sensors sense said real time forces and position of said electrode, and continue insertion while said real time forces are below said maximum allowable force profile.

10. The system of claim 7, in which said maximum allowable force profile defines an insertion force based on insertion depth.

11. The system of claim 7, in which said controller is configured to provide for operating modes including fully automatic insertion of said electrode, semiautomatic insertion of said electrode and manual manipulation, manual insertion of said electrode with feedback, or combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 7, in which said maximum allowable force profile is selected by the system based on a patient'"'"'s diagnostic imaging, case history, diagnosis, or combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 7, in which said data recorded during a number of previous successful operations includes data comparing preoperative and postoperative residual hearing capability of the patients associated with said previous successful operations.

14. The system of claim 7, in which said controller controls said insertion tool such that said electrode follows a minimum force trajectory in which said minimum force trajectory describes a multidimensional trajectory of said electrode that is expected to require minimum insertion force.

15. The system of claim 14, in which said controller is further configured to take corrective action if there exists a substantial deviation of said real time forces from said minimum force trajectory.

16. The system of claim 15, in which said controller is further configured to request human confirmation of said selected corrective action, accept human selection of said corrective action, direct human intervention via a haptic controller, or combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 8, in which said data of said real time forces is conveyed through haptic feedback, visual feedback, audio feedback, or a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an audible indicator to convey said audio feedback that changes in pitch, amplitude, frequency, or combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 8, further comprising a haptic controller, said haptic controller conveying an amplified representation of said data of said real time forces to a user, and generating instruction data directed to said insertion tool based on manipulation of said haptic controller by said user.

20. The system of claim 9, further comprising a visual display, said visual display conveying a maximum allowable force profile and data of said real time forces in which said visual display is further configured to display a representation of said biological tissues and representation of said electrode during insertion of said electrode into said biological tissues.

21. The system of claim 7, in which said electrode is an intracochlear electrode array.

22. The system of claim 7, further comprising a number of imaging devices configured to provide to said controller position data of said electrode within said biological tissues.