Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090043358 | ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY FOR A STIMULATING MEDICAL DEVICE - An implantable electrode assembly for a stimulating medical device, the electrode assembly comprising: an elongate carrier member; one or more electrodes disposed on said carrier member; and one or more signal pathways each extending for a length through at least a part of said carrier member to deliver signals to an associated one of said one or more electrodes, wherein at least one of said one or more signal pathways has a non-uniform cross-sectional profile over a length of said elongate carrier member. | 02-12-2009 |
20090043370 | PRE-CURVED COCHLEAR IMPLANT ELECTRODE ARRAY - An implantable electrode array ( | 02-12-2009 |
20090312769 | STYLET FOR STIMULATING MEDICAL IMPLANTS - An elongate stylet for removable insertion into a lumen of a stimulating medical implant, comprising a plurality of contiguous longitudinal regions, wherein a cross-sectional area of at least some of the regions are different. | 12-17-2009 |
20100094380 | ELECTRONEURAL INTERFACE FOR A MEDICAL IMPLANT - Embodiments are generally directed to improving the interface between one or more electrode contacts of a medical implant and the neurons of a recipient of the medical implant. In an embodiment, a growth factor is applied to stimulate the growth of peripheral processes (also referred to as dendrites). Then an electric field is applied to direct the growth of the peripheral processes towards the electrode contact. Growing peripheral processes towards the electrode contacts may reduce the charge required to stimulate the peripheral processes and improve operation of the medical implant. | 04-15-2010 |
20100174329 | COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRICAL NEURAL STIMULATION - A neural-stimulating device for stimulating nerve cells of a recipient is provided. The neural-stimulating device comprises an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals and an electrical stimulation generator configured to generate electrical stimulation signals. The neural-stimulating device also comprises an implantable stimulating assembly configured to be implanted in the recipient, and having disposed thereon an optical contact to deliver the one or more optical stimulation signals to the nerve cells, and an electrical contact to deliver the electric stimulation signals to the nerve cells. | 07-08-2010 |
20100174330 | NEURAL-STIMULATING DEVICE FOR GENERATING PSEUDOSPONTANEOUS NEURAL ACTIVITY - A neural-stimulating device for stimulating nerve cells of a recipient is provided. The neural-stimulating device comprises an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) generator configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals configured to cause pseudospontaneous activity; and an implantable stimulating assembly having an optical contact coupled to the EMR generator, the stimulating assembly configured to be implanted in the recipient such that the one or more optical stimulation signals are applied to the nerve cells via the optical contact. | 07-08-2010 |
20100174344 | OPTICAL NEURAL STIMULATING DEVICE HAVING A SHORT STIMULATING ASSEMBLY - A cochlear implant is provided. The cochlear implant comprises a stimulator unit configured to generate electrical stimulation signals based on sound processor-encoded signals, and to generate one or more optical stimulation signals, and an implantable stimulating assembly. The implantable stimulating assembly is configured to be implanted into a basal region of a recipient's cochlea such that when the stimulating assembly is fully implanted, a distal end of the assembly extends to the basal turn of the cochlea. The stimulating assembly also comprises: an optical contact to deliver the one or more optical stimulation signals to the cochlea, and an electrical contact to deliver the electric stimulation signals to a basal region of the cochlea so as to cause perception by the recipient of one or more frequency components of the acoustic sound signal. | 07-08-2010 |
20100287770 | MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRODE CARRIER FOR AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an electrode carrier comprising one or more electrode contacts of an implantable medical device, comprising: coupling at least one electrode to a base plate, securing the base plate in a mold, injecting the mold with injection material at least partially around the at least one electrode coupled to the base plate, curing the injected material, and decoupling the at least one electrode from the base plate such that the cured injection material is separated from the base plate. | 11-18-2010 |
20110040364 | ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY HAVING A FLEXIBLE TIP - A cochlear implant electrode assembly device comprising an elongate electrode carrier member, a stiffening element, and a stiffening sheath that at least partially envelops the elongate member. The member is made of a resiliently flexible first material and has a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon. The member has a first configuration that allows it to be inserted into an implantee's cochlea. The member also has a second configuration wherein the member is curved to match an inside surface of the cochlea, and at least one intermediate configuration between the first and second configurations. Both the stiffening element and sheath are made of a material that is relatively stiffer than the member. The stiffening element and the stiffening sheath in combination bias the elongate member into the first configuration. If either the stiffening element or the stiffening sheath is removed or deactivated, the elongate member adopts an intermediate configuration. | 02-17-2011 |
20110056725 | INSULATED CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS BARRIER LAYER FORMED VIA RELATIVE MOTION DURING DEPOSITION - Coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a substantially continuous barrier layer. An uncoated conductive element is around a frame comprising spaced supports. During deposition, the relative position of the conductive element to the frame is adjusted so that all sections of the conductive element are physically separated from the supports for a time that is sufficient to form a desired coating of barrier material on all sections of the conductive element. | 03-10-2011 |
20110056729 | INSULATED CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS BARRIER LAYER FORMED THROUGH CONTINUOUS VAPOR DEPOSITION - A continuous vapor deposition system for coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a substantially continuous barrier layer. The system comprises an internal deposition chamber configured to have a section of the conductive element extend there through; a vapor supply system connected to the internal deposition chamber configured to provide a barrier material to the internal deposition chamber, wherein the barrier material is deposited on the section of the conductive within the internal deposition chamber to form a substantially continuous barrier layer; and a guide system positioned adjacent to the first deposition chamber configured to maintain tension in the section of the conductive element in the internal deposition chamber to control movement of the conductive element through the internal deposition chamber. | 03-10-2011 |
20110126410 | MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY HAVING CONTOURED ELECTRODE CONTACT SURFACES - A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly. The method comprises: forming a comb having a plurality of electrode contacts, wherein the surface of at least one of the electrode contacts comprises a plurality of indentations such that the effective surface area per area unit of a center region of the at least one electrode contact is larger than the effective surface area per area unit of the of the region of the surface outside the center region; assembling an array of electrode contacts from the comb; molding a carrier member about the assembled array of electrode contacts, wherein a surface of the at least one electrode contact is covered by a layer of the carrier member material; and removing the layer of carrier member material on the surface of the at least one electrode contact. | 06-02-2011 |
20110127243 | ELECTRODE CONTACT CONTAMINATE REMOVAL - Manufacturing an electrode assembly comprising forming an intermediate assembly comprising a carrier member having one or more electrode contacts embedded therein, the surface of the electrode contacts having a layer of carrier member material thereon; removing the layer of carrier member from the surface of the one or more electrode contacts, wherein a residual amount of the carrier member material remains on the surface of at least one of the electrode contacts; and substantially removing the residual carrier member material from the surface of the at least one electrode contact so as to increase the effective surface area of the at least one electrode contact. | 06-02-2011 |
20110130815 | CONTOURED ELECTRODE CONTACT SURFACES - An electrode assembly is provided. The electrode assembly comprises a carrier member and one or more electrode contacts disposed in the carrier member, wherein a surface of at least one of the electrode contacts is contoured such that the effective surface area per area unit of the center region is larger than the effective surface area per area unit of the of the region of the surface outside the center region. | 06-02-2011 |
20110196465 | STRAIN RELIEF IN AN IMPLANTABLE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY - An implantable electrode assembly. The electrode assembly comprises an elongate carrier member, at least one electrode contact disposed in the carrier member, and at least one elongate conductive pathway disposed in the carrier member having a distal end attached to the at least one electrode contact and having a substantially planar strain relief formed therein that is located only in the distal region of the at least one pathway. | 08-11-2011 |
20110218548 | CARTRIDGE FOR AN ELECTRODE ARRAY INSERTION DEVICE - A device, system and method for inserting a pre-curved electrode array ( | 09-08-2011 |
20110264168 | COCHLEAR ELECTRODE ARRAY - An implantable tissue-stimulating prosthesis such as a cochlear implant system comprising an elongate carrier member having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one electrode positioned thereon; at least one electrical conductor extending from one or more of the at least one electrode; a lead extending from the carrier member and enclosing the at least one electrical conductor; and a holding member constructed and arranged to radially extend outwardly from the surface of the carrier member to facilitate grasping of the holding member during implantation of the carrier member in a patient. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264183 | PRE-CURVED COCHLEAR IMPLANT ELECTRODE ARRAY - An implantable electrode array ( | 10-27-2011 |
20110288468 | DRUG-DELIVERY ACCESSORY FOR AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - An implantable drug-delivery sleeve for an elongate component of an implantable medical device. The sleeve includes a tubular substrate having a lumen configured to receive the elongate component so as to allow relative displacement of the substrate and the elongate component, wherein the substrate is shaped so as to be retained stationary at a desired position along the elongate component, and a drug releasably carried by the substrate. | 11-24-2011 |
20110288500 | DRUG-DELIVERY ELEMENT FOR AN ELONGATE IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE COMPONENT - An implantable medical device including an implantable elongate component and at least one elongate drug-delivery element. The elongate drug-delivery element releasably carries at least one drug and is configured to be mounted to the elongate component such that the longitudinal axis of the drug-delivery element is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the elongate component. | 11-24-2011 |
20120065717 | ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY FOR A STIMULATING MEDICAL DEVICE - An implantable electrode assembly for a cochlear implant comprising: an elongate carrier member having an intra-cochlear region, an extra-cochlear region, and an additional region immediately adjacent the extra-cochlear region and extending to a stimulator unit; one or more electrodes disposed on the intra-cochlear region of the elongate carrier member; and one or more signal pathways extending from the additional region through at least a portion of the intra-cochlear region, wherein a cross-sectional profile of each of the one or more signal pathways is smaller in the intra-cochlear region than in the additional region. | 03-15-2012 |
20120290054 | DRUG RETAINING SURFACE FEATURES IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - An implantable component of a medical device, comprising a polymeric surface. The component includes one or more macro-surface features at the polymeric surface having a configuration that, following application of a liquid drug to the surface retains a quantity of the liquid drug adjacent the surface. | 11-15-2012 |
20130144354 | COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRICAL NEURAL STIMULATION - A neural-stimulating device for stimulating nerve cells of a recipient is provided. The neural-stimulating device comprises an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals and an electrical stimulation generator configured to generate electrical stimulation signals. The neural-stimulating device also comprises an implantable stimulating assembly configured to be implanted in the recipient, and having disposed thereon an optical contact to deliver the one or more optical stimulation signals to the nerve cells, and an electrical contact to deliver the electric stimulation signals to the nerve cells. | 06-06-2013 |
20140100514 | DRUG RETAINING SURFACE FEATURES IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - An implantable component of a medical device, comprising a polymeric surface. The component includes one or more macro-surface features at the polymeric surface having a configuration that, following application of a liquid drug to the surface retains a quantity of the liquid drug adjacent the surface. | 04-10-2014 |
20140142675 | COCHLEAR ELECTRODE ARRAY - An implantable tissue-stimulating prosthesis such as a cochlear implant system comprising an elongate carrier member having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one electrode positioned thereon; at least one electrical conductor extending from one or more of the at least one electrode; a lead extending from the carrier member and enclosing the at least one electrical conductor; and a holding member constructed and arranged to radially extend outwardly from the surface of the carrier member to facilitate grasping of the holding member during implantation of the carrier member in a patient. | 05-22-2014 |
20140180195 | Drug-Delivery Accessory for an Implantable Medical Device - An implantable drug-delivery sleeve for an elongate component of an implantable medical device. The sleeve includes a tubular substrate having a lumen configured to receive the elongate component so as to allow relative displacement of the substrate and the elongate component, wherein the substrate is shaped so as to be retained stationary at a desired position along the elongate component, and a drug releasably carried by the substrate. | 06-26-2014 |