Optic fibre device
OwnerPeter Gibson, Miroslaw Mackiewicz +1inventors
InventorsPeter Gibson, Miroslaw Mackiewicz, Bas Van Dijk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrode array or assembly that enables a surgeon to visualise a region of the body and particularly the cochlea during or prior to implantation of the array or assembly into the body so that, where necessary, appropriate action can be taken by the surgeon in accordance with any complications to the surgery that may arise. Also described is a probe that provides a surgeon with a means to visualise the cochlea prior to or during implantation of an electrode array assembly.
Claims38
An implantable tissue stimulating device comprising an elongate carrier member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon between said proximal and distal ends, the elongate carrier member having at least a first lumen extending at least partially therethrough, the elongate carrier member further including one or more optic fibres positioned along a length of said at least a first lumen.
The implantable tissue stimulating device wherein the one or more optic fibre is connected to an optical fibre termination means said optical fibre termination means including a light source, eyepiece, and/or a camera lens mounted thereto wherein further, said optical fibre termination means receives light output by the light source and directs this light through the one or more optic fibres.
An implantable tissue-stimulating device comprising:
- an elongate carrier member having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon and having a first configuration selected to allow said elongate carrier member to be inserted into an implantee's body, and at least a second configuration wherein said elongate carrier member is adapted to apply a preselected tissue stimulation with the electrodes, said elongate carrier member being made of a resiliently flexible first material;
- and
- a stiffening element removably positionable within said elongate carrier member that biases said elongate carrier member into said first configuration;
- wherein said stiffening element comprises one or more optic fibres.
A cochlear implant electrode assembly device comprising:
- an elongate carrier member having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon and having a first configuration selected to allow said elongate carrier member to be inserted into an implantee's cochlea, and at least a second configuration wherein said elongate carrier member is curved to match a surface of said cochlea, said elongate carrier member being made of a resiliently flexible first material;
- and
- a stiffening element removably positionable within said elongate carrier member that biases said elongate carrier member into said first configuration;
- wherein said stiffening element comprises one or more optic fibres.
A cochlear implant electrode assembly device comprising an elongate carrier member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon between said proximal and distal ends, the elongate carrier member 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 carrier member is curved to match a surface of said cochlea, said elongate carrier member being made of a resiliently flexible first material and having a lumen formed therein extending from or adjacent the proximal end to or adjacent the distal end and adapted to receive a stiffening element removably positionable within said elongate carrier member that biases said elongate carrier member into said first configuration, wherein said distal end of said elongate carrier member comprises a transparent tip member.
A stiffening element for an implantable tissue-stimulating device characterised in that the stiffening element comprises one or more optic fibres.
A probe for use in the internal visual inspection of a cochlea, the probe comprising an elongate carrier member adapted to be at least partially inserted into one of the ducts of the cochlea and having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen formed therein, said lumen extending from a location that is at or adjacent the proximal end at least towards the distal end of the elongate carrier member, the probe further including one or more optic fibres removably positioned within at least a portion of the lumen of the elongate carrier member.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.