# US 2022/0032045 A1 · Surgical tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032045 A1 - Document ID: US20220032045A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/405,345 - Filed: 2021-08-18 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-22 - Assignees: Cochlear Limited - Applicants: Cochlear Limited - Inventors: Richard Bruce Murphy; Nicholas Charles Kendall Pawsey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032045A1 ## CPC - A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes} - A61N 1/36036: {of the outer, middle or inner ear} - A61B 17/3468: {for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires (devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069)} - A61F 11/20: Ear surgery - A61N 1/327: {for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation} - A61N 1/36038: {Cochlear stimulation} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract Presented herein are dual-function surgical tools for insertion of implantable stimulating assemblies, such as intra-cochlear stimulating assemblies. In addition to facilitating intra-operative positioning of a stimulating assembly within a recipient (e.g., operating to guide the stimulating assembly of an implantable medical device into position), the surgical tool also includes a plurality of electrodes configured to apply an electroporation electrical field to a recipient's nerve cells to enable introduction of treatment substance into the nerve cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical tool comprising: a sheath configured to be inserted into a body chamber within the body of a recipient to guide a stimulating assembly of an implantable medical device into position within the body chamber, wherein the sheath comprises a plurality of electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the sheath forms a tube through which the stimulating assembly is advanced. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the sheath comprises a thin-film circuit, and wherein the electrodes are formed on an outer surface of the thin-film circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the surgical tool has a proximal portion attached to the sheath that facilitates manipulation of the surgical tool during surgery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the body chamber comprises a cochlea of the recipient, and wherein the sheath is configured for insertion through a round window of the cochlea. ### Claim 6 (depends on 41) The surgical tool of claim 41, wherein the plurality of electrodes are formed into two or more functional groups of electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The surgical tool of claim 6, wherein the two or more functional groups of electrodes include a distal group of electrodes comprising electrodes located relatively closer to a distal end of the sheath, and a proximal group of electrodes comprising electrodes located relatively closer to a proximal end of the sheath. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the surgical tool has at least one electrical connector configured to electrically connect the electrodes to a current source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical tool of claim 8, wherein the electrical connector is configured to electrically connect the surgical tool to an external current source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrode insertion tool of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are electrically isolated from the implantable medical device. ### Claim 11 An insertion tool for a stimulating assembly, comprising: an insertion guide member configured to receive the stimulating assembly therein, wherein a distal portion of the insertion guide member is configured to be positioned within a body chamber of a recipient; and one or more electrodes disposed on the distal portion of the insertion guide member, wherein the one or more electrodes are configured to apply an electrical field to the recipient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The insertion tool of claim 11, further comprising: a least one electrical connector configured to electrically connect the electrodes to a current source; and one or more leads extending from the one or more electrodes to the electrical connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The insertion tool of claim 11, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes formed into two or more functional groups of electrodes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The insertion tool of claim 13, wherein the two or more functional groups of electrodes include a distal group of electrodes comprising electrodes located relatively closer to a distal end of the insertion guide member, and a proximal group of electrodes comprising electrodes located relatively closer to a proximal end of the insertion guide member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The insertion tool of claim 11, wherein an outer surface of the insertion guide member comprises a thin-film circuit, and wherein the one or more electrodes are formed as part of the thin-film circuit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The insertion tool of claim 11, further comprising: a substance delivery mechanism configured to deliver a treatment substance into the body chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The insertion tool of claim 16, wherein the substance delivery mechanism is a collapsible lumen that is located inside the insertion guide member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The insertion tool of claim 16, wherein the treatment substance is at least one biological agent selected from the group including: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, brain-derived neurotrophic factors, peptides, RNAi and viral vectors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The insertion tool of claim 11, wherein the insertion guide member forms a tube through which the stimulating assembly is advanced. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The insertion tool of claim 19, wherein the insertion guide member includes a longitudinal seam that is configured to splay open as a force is applied to an interior surface of the insertion guide member via advancement of the stimulating assembly. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the surgical tool includes a substance delivery mechanism configured to deliver a treatment substance into the body chamber. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The surgical tool of claim 27, wherein the substance delivery mechanism comprises a substance delivery lumen configured to deliver the treatment substance into the body chamber. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The surgical tool of claim 28, wherein the substance delivery lumen is a collapsible lumen that is located inside the sheath. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The surgical tool of claim 26, wherein the treatment substance is at least one biological agent selected from the group including: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, brain-derived neurotrophic factors, peptides, RNAi and viral vectors.