Middle Ear Implant Coupler for Mechanical Cochlea Stimulation via the Round Window

A round window coupling device for a hybrid electric-mechanical stimulation hearing implant system, the device comprising:

• a rigid outer shell having a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, and configured to securely fit into a round window niche in a cochlear outer surface of a recipient patient;
• an electrode groove in the outer surface of the outer shell configured to snuggly fit around a portion of a cochlear implant electrode array passing through the round window niche;
• a coupling filling enclosed within the outer shell and configured to couple mechanical vibrations from the proximal end of the outer shell to the distal end of the outer shell with minimal attenuation;
• a transducer receiver at the proximal end of the outer shell configured to connect to and receive vibrations from a drive surface of a mechanical transducer;
• and
• a drive face at the distal end of the outer shell configured to interface to perilymph fluid within the cochlea of the recipient patient to deliver vibrations from the coupling filling to the perilymph fluid with minimal attenuation for perception as sound.