Apparatus for delivery of pharmaceuticals to the cochlea
First Claim
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1. A cochlear implant, comprising:
- an implantable electrode array assembly implantable proximate to nerve cells of a recipient, comprising;
a resiliently flexible elongate member,a plurality of electrodes disposed on an outer surface of the elongate member,a lumen extending through at least a portion of the elongate member, andat least one substance egress extending from the lumen to the outer surface of the elongate member;
a stimulator unit electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes in the implantable electrode array assembly and configured to generate electrical stimulation signals for delivery to a first population of the nerve cells via one or more of the plurality of electrodes;
a bioactive substance source fluidically coupled to the lumen and configured to provide a bioactive substance to the at least one substance egress for application to a second population of the nerve cells;
a reservoir configured to store the bioactive substance, wherein the lumen in the implantable electrode array assembly is configured to receive an amount of the bioactive substance from the reservoir;
a substance delivery mechanism configured to control one or more of the bioactive substance source and the at least one substance egress to cause selective application of the bioactive substance to the second population of nerve cells; and
a valve configured to control flow of the bioactive substance from the at least one substance egress.
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Abstract
An implantable electrode array assembly configured to stimulate tissue of a recipient, including an elongate member configured to be inserted into a recipient, wherein at least a portion of the elongate member includes a bio-active substance.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A cochlear implant, comprising:
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an implantable electrode array assembly implantable proximate to nerve cells of a recipient, comprising; a resiliently flexible elongate member, a plurality of electrodes disposed on an outer surface of the elongate member, a lumen extending through at least a portion of the elongate member, and at least one substance egress extending from the lumen to the outer surface of the elongate member; a stimulator unit electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes in the implantable electrode array assembly and configured to generate electrical stimulation signals for delivery to a first population of the nerve cells via one or more of the plurality of electrodes; a bioactive substance source fluidically coupled to the lumen and configured to provide a bioactive substance to the at least one substance egress for application to a second population of the nerve cells; a reservoir configured to store the bioactive substance, wherein the lumen in the implantable electrode array assembly is configured to receive an amount of the bioactive substance from the reservoir; a substance delivery mechanism configured to control one or more of the bioactive substance source and the at least one substance egress to cause selective application of the bioactive substance to the second population of nerve cells; and a valve configured to control flow of the bioactive substance from the at least one substance egress. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method performed by a cochlear implant comprising an implantable electrode array assembly disposed in a cochlea of a recipient, the method comprising:
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generating electrical stimulation signals with a stimulator unit electrically connected to a plurality of electrodes disposed on an outer surface of the implantable electrode array assembly; delivering the electrical stimulation signals to a first population of cochlea nerve cells via one or more of the plurality of electrodes; delivering a bioactive substance to a second population of cochlea nerve cells via a lumen extending through at least a portion of the implantable electrode array assembly and at least one substance egress extending from the lumen to the outer surface of the implantable electrode array assembly; and controlling, via a valve, the release of the bioactive substance from the at least one substance egress. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification