Extra-cochlear implanted hearing aid device
AssigneeDomestic Legacy Limited Partnership
InventorsMichael H. Fritsch, John H. Fritsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extra-cochlear hearing aid implant is characterized by a pad having a plurality of electrode prongs that extend therefrom and which are adapted to provide an electrical stimulus to hearing cells within the cochlea. The electrode pad is adapted to be placed onto endosteum overlying the cochlea in an “extended soft surgery” technique. The prongs are configured to pierce the endosteum and extend into the cochlea. In one form, the extra-cochlear hearing aid implant also includes hollow tubules that extend from the pad and which are adapted to supply and withdraw neurotrophic proteins and other materials in a fluid into and from the cochlea, and also to provide electrical stimulus to the hearing cells.
Claims27
An extra-cochlear hearing aid implant comprising:
- a pad configured to overlie an endosteum of a cochlea;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes extending from an underside of the pad and configured to pierce the endosteum of the cochlea and extend into an interior of the cochlea, the plurality of electrodes providing a plurality of different sound simulating electrical stimuli to at least one of a plurality of dendrites and plurality of spiral ganglia within the interior of the cochlea to foster hearing;
- and
- wherein the pad is sized for placement on the endosteum of the cochlea and the pad, and plurality of electrodes, are sized and configured for subcutaneous implantation.
An extra-cochlear hearing aid implant comprising
- a pad configured to subcutaneously overlie a portion of a cochlea;
- a plurality of electrodes extending from an underside of the pad for providing a plurality of different sound simulating electrical stimuli to at least one of a plurality of dendrites and plurality of spiral ganglia and configured to pierce and extend into an interior of the cochlea, and
- a fluid exchange system carried on the pad for supplying withdrawing fluid to and from the interior of the cocklea for improving at least one of the health and sound processing capabilities of the cochlea.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.