Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing loss
a technology for strial hearing loss and apparatus, applied in the direction of head electrodes, internal electrodes, therapy, etc., can solve the problems of gradual deterioration of the structure of the scala media, immobility, and inability to fully recover from the injury,
Inactive Publication Date: 2006-06-22
SPELMAN FRANCIS A +3
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Benefits of technology
"The present invention is a device that can inject a pulsating electric current into a liquid using a special electrode. This device has a control and rectification assembly that sends a special type of electric current to the electrode. This results in a pulsating, unidirectional DC current at the electrolytic current port. The technical effect of this invention is the ability to produce a controlled, pulsating electric current in a simple and efficient way."
Problems solved by technology
The loss of endocochlear potential appears to result in both an immediate decline in hearing acuity and a gradual deterioration of the structure of the scala media.
This is difficult, however, because it requires the production of a DC current within the body.
The body's interstitial tissues tend to foul and eventually destroy any implanted electrode producing a DC current.
Further, metal electrodes either dissolve or become plated with new material when they are driven with DC currents.
Method used
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Embodiment Construction
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an implantable charge injection assembly 10 according to the present invention, is designed to be implanted in the human skull. A charge injection unit 12 will be placed so that it contacts the scala media of the subject. In one preferred embodiment, the structure of charge injection unit 12 includes an electrolytic fluid-filled liquid crystal polymer (LCP) housing 18 (FIG. 3). The electrolytic fluid is an aqueous solution of —0.17_M KCl to match the potassium concentration of human scala media tissue. Referring to FIG. 3, a primary electrode 20 located in the housing 18 is made of conductive metal plated with IrOx and has a surface area sufficient to sustain a positive current pulse >5 microamperes for >1 second, e.g., of 1.6×109 μm2. Injection unit 12 includes a tip 22 that contacts the scala media and has an interior area that is less than one hundred thousandth that of electrode 20, being between 100 μm and 10,000 μm. The length of the tip 22 i...
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An electrolytic current injection device comprising an electrode and an electrolytic current port. In addition a control and rectification assembly is adapted to apply a biphasic pulse to said electrode, yet produce a pulsatile, unidirectional DC electrolytic current at said electrolytic current port. In one preferred embodiment a set of micro machined switches and a refresh electrode are used to maintain the unidirectional DC electrolytic current over time.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10 / 287,989 filed Nov. 5, 2002.STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT [0002] The invention was made with government support under grant number R43DC005531-01 ZRG01. The government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] As many as seven million Americans suffer from a form of hearing loss known as strial presbycusis, which is marked by a loss of hearing in all registers and, as the name indicates, is associated with the aging process. In a healthy ear there is a voltage difference across the basilar membrane, the organ that hosts the hair cells. This voltage difference, referred to as “endocochlear potential,” causes current to flow through the hair cells. Sound waves cause the hair cells to bend, thereby changing their electrical conductivity and the amount of current that flows through them. This process results in the electrical nerve impulses that are sent to the brain by the auditory...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): A61N1/08A61N1/05A61N1/32
CPCA61N1/0541A61N1/32A61N1/36032
Inventor SPELMAN, FRANCIS A.JOHNSON, TIMOTHY J.CORBETT, SCOTT S. IIICLOPTON, BEN M.
Owner SPELMAN FRANCIS A