IMPLANT MAGNET SYSTEM

• US 20160008596A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Gibson, Peter, Leigh, Roger, Risi, Frank, Walker, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,232,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A magnetic alignment system that can form part of a cochlear implant system. The magnetic alignment system prevents substantial movement of a magnet of an implanted component during an MRI procedure or allows for easy removal of the magnet to facilitate the MRI procedure.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

an implantable component including;

a magnet; and

a structural component secured in the implantable component and configured to restrain movement of the magnet relative to the implantable component in at least a first direction parallel to a first axis of a Cartesian coordinate system.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the magnet is restrained from movement in the first direction via a bias force between the structural component and the magnet.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the implantable component is configured such that the magnet is removable from the implantable component through the bottom of the implantable component.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the implantable component configured to permit the magnet to rotate relative to the structural component.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the structural component is configured to permit the magnet to rotate relative to the structural component about a second axis of the Cartesian coordinate system, wherein the first axis is normal to the second axis.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the structural component is configured to permit the magnet to rotate relative to the structural component about the first axis.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the magnet is rotatably movable relative to the structural component while restrained from movement in the first direction by the structural component.

8. A medical device comprising:

an implantable component including;

a magnet; and

a chassis secured in the component and configured to removably support the magnet while the magnet is located within the implantable component, wherein

the implantable component includes a silicone body, and

the silicone body at least partially envelopes the chassis and the magnet while the magnet is located in the chassis.

9. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the silicone body complete envelops the magnet.

10. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the implantable component is configured such that, while the implantable component is implanted in a recipient, the silicone body is at least partially separable so as to create a path through the silicone body through which the magnet can be removed therethrough to remove the magnet from the implantable component.

11. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the chassis is in the form of a doughnut around the magnet; and

the chassis is made of ceramic.

12. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the implantable component is configured such that the magnet is removable from the implantable component through the bottom of the implantable component.

13. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the magnet is disk shaped, and the magnet is rotatable relative to the chassis about a longitudinal direction of the magnet.

14. The medical device of claim 8, wherein:

the magnet is disk shaped, and the magnet is rotatable relative to the chassis about a longitudinal direction of the magnet and prevented from rotating relative to the chassis about an axis normal to the longitudinal direction.

15. A method of reducing deleterious effects of an MRI scan on a recipient having an implanted medical device which includes a magnet, comprising:

obtaining access to a recipient in which the implanted medical device is implanted;

rotating the magnet while the magnet is implanted in the recipient relative to a main body of the implanted medical device; and

subjecting the recipient to an MRI scan.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

subsequent to the action of rotating the magnet, removing the magnet from the recipient.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the action of obtaining access to the recipient is executed prior to the action of rotating the magnet and the action of rotating the magnet is executed prior to subjecting the recipient to the MRI scan.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the magnet is part of a magnet assembly, wherein the magnet assembly includes a casing for the magnet; and

the medical device includes a chassis surrounding the magnet assembly.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the implantable component includes a structural component that extends completely about the magnet, which structural component is connected to a silicone body that is in contact with bone of the recipient, wherein the rotation of the magnet entails rotation of the magnet relative to the structural component.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

subsequent to the action of rotating the magnet, removing the magnet from the recipient through the bottom of the implanted medical device.

16. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

prior to rotating the magnet, cutting into the skin of the recipient to access the implanted medical device.