Tissue-stimulating prosthesis dissolution barrier
AssigneeCochlear Limited
InventorPaul Michael Carter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Presented herein are dissolution barriers for use with tissue-stimulating prostheses. As described further below, a tissue-stimulating prosthesis comprises a stimulating assembly including an elongate insulating carrier member and a plurality of electrode contacts disposed along the carrier member. A continuous dissolution barrier is disposed on the surface of the stimulating assembly so as to substantially encapsulate/enclose the plurality of electrode contacts and the carrier member. The continuous dissolution barrier is configured to inhibit in situ dissolution of the plurality of electrode contacts.
Claims41
A tissue-stimulating prosthesis, comprising:
- a stimulating assembly comprising an elongate carrier member and a plurality of spaced electrode contacts disposed along the elongate carrier member configured to at least one of source or sink current signals;
- and
- a dissolution barrier encapsulating the stimulating assembly, wherein the dissolution barrier is configured to inhibit in situ dissolution of the plurality of electrode contacts.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an implantable carrier member formed from an insulating material and having a center longitudinal axis and an outer surface;
- a plurality of electrode contacts distributed on the outer surface of the carrier member along the longitudinal axis for applying electrical stimulation signals to adjacent neural tissue;
- and
- a continuous dissolution barrier layered on each of the plurality of electrode contacts and the carrier member.
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A method, comprising:
- providing a plurality of electrode contacts arranged in an elongate array;
- encapsulating the plurality of electrode contacts in implantable carrier member formed from an insulating material, wherein the plurality of electrode contacts extend along a longitudinal axis of the carrier member and are positioned at an outer surface of the carrier member;
- exposing a surface of the each of the plurality of electrode contacts for use in applying electrical stimulation signals to adjacent neural tissue;
- and
- layering a continuous dissolution barrier on each of the plurality of electrode contacts and the carrier member.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.