Steerable stylet

• US 9,211,403 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Tortonese, Marco, Beerling, Timothy, Haller, Matthew I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodjom, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): KNAUSS, CHRISTIAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/915,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/129, 623/10, 607/137
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0102 Insertion or introduction using an inner stiffening member, e.g. stylet or push-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes

Abstract

A stylet for inserting an electrode array into a cochlea includes a first sensor insertable within a lumen of the electrode array and sensitive to force applied by a lumen wall to the first sensor and a first actuator adapted to move the electrode array in response to the force sensed by the first sensor.

Claims

1. A stylet for inserting an electrode array into a cochlea, comprising:

a first sensor insertable within a lumen of the electrode array and sensitive to force applied by a lumen wall to the first sensor; and

a first actuator adapted to move the electrode array in response to the force sensed by the first sensor, in which the first actuator comprises a plurality of pull wires and all pull wires are located in one half of a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the stylet.

2. The stylet of claim 1, in which two of the pull wires can be used to reproduce the force applied to the electrode array by a third pull wire.

3. The stylet of claim 1, in which at least one pull wire must be tensioned for the electrode assembly to be straight.

4. A system for inserting a cochlear implant into the cochlea, the system comprising:

a cochlear implant for implantation in a human being comprising;

an electrode array and

a longitudinal lumen;

a steerable stylet removably insertable into the lumen of the cochlear implant, the stylet comprising;

a plurality of longitudinal lumens;

an actuator in a first stylet lumen; and

a sensor and communication line in a second stylet lumen, where the sensor detects force applied by a wall of the second stylet lumen to the sensor and communicates an indication of the force through the communication line; and

a controller controlling the actuator, the controller receiving communication from the sensor through the communication line.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller dithers the actuator prior to advancing the electrode array.