An adaptive cochlear implant system

Abstract

This application provides an adaptive cochlear implant system, comprising: an implant and a sound processor; the implant includes an electrical stimulator, implanted electrodes, a receiving coil, and an epidural electrode; the receiving coil is connected to the electrical stimulator, and the electrical stimulator is connected to the implanted electrodes; the epidural electrode is connected to the electrical stimulator; dural auditory cortex signals acquired by the epidural electrode are processed by the electrical stimulator and then emitted by the receiving coil; the sound processor includes a transmitting coil, a signal encoding module, and a microphone; the microphone is connected to the signal encoding module; the signal encoding module is connected to the transmitting coil, and the signal encoding module is used to convert the sound signals acquired by the microphone into electrical stimulation encoded signals and transmit them to the transmitting coil; the transmitting coil is used to send electrical stimulation encoded signals to the receiving coil and to receive dural auditory cortex signals emitted by the receiving coil. This system can solve the adjustment problem for infants, aphasic patients, and other groups who cannot actively respond.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and more specifically, to an adaptive cochlear implant system. Background Technology

[0002] A cochlear implant is an electronic device that uses an external speech processor (also known as a sound processor) to convert sound into coded electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted through an implanted electrode system to directly stimulate the auditory nerve, restoring or reconstructing hearing function in deaf individuals. In recent years, with advancements in electronic technology, computer technology, phonetics, electrophysiology, materials science, and otomicrosurgery, cochlear implants have moved from experimental research to clinical application. They are now a standard treatment for severe to total deafness worldwide.

[0003] In related technologies, cochlear implants can only transmit signals unidirectionally between the external sound processor and the implant. Adjusting the volume of the cochlear implant requires the patient to describe their auditory experience verbally. This method places high demands on the patient and is unsuitable for individuals without expressive abilities.

[0004] In view of the above, this application is hereby submitted. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive cochlear implant system. This system has a simple structure and is easy to implant. It can provide accurate feedback signals for the adjustment process and does not require the cochlear implant user to actively express themselves. It can solve the adjustment problem for groups such as infants and aphasic patients who cannot actively provide feedback.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives of this utility model, the following technical solution is adopted:

[0007] This invention provides an adaptive cochlear implant system, comprising: an implant and a sound processor;

[0008] The implant includes an electrical stimulator, an implanted electrode, a receiving coil, and an epidural electrode; the receiving coil is connected to the electrical stimulator, and the electrical stimulator is connected to the implanted electrode; the epidural electrode is used to collect signals from the dural auditory cortex, and the epidural electrode is connected to the electrical stimulator; the dural auditory cortex signals collected by the epidural electrode are processed by the electrical stimulator and then emitted through the receiving coil;

[0009] The sound processor includes a transmitting coil, a signal encoding module, and a microphone; the microphone is connected to the signal encoding module; the signal encoding module is connected to the transmitting coil, and the signal encoding module is used to convert the sound signal collected by the microphone into an electrical stimulation encoded signal and transmit it to the transmitting coil; the transmitting coil is used to send the electrical stimulation encoded signal to the receiving coil and to receive the dura mater auditory cortex signal emitted by the receiving coil.

[0010] For example, the sound processor further includes an auditory cortex signal processing module; the transmitting coil is connected to the auditory cortex signal processing module, and the auditory cortex signal processing module is connected to the signal encoding module; the dura mater auditory cortex signal received by the transmitting coil is processed by the auditory cortex signal processing module and then transmitted to the signal encoding module.

[0011] For example, the electrical stimulator includes a signal acquisition module and a signal decoding module; the signal acquisition module is connected to the epidural electrode, and the signal decoding module is connected to the implanted electrode.

[0012] For example, the epidural electrode is connected to an auditory signal transmission line, and a connection terminal is provided at one end of the auditory signal transmission line away from the epidural electrode; the electrical stimulator is connected to a connection socket; the connection terminal and the connection socket are detachably connected.

[0013] For example, the connection between the connecting terminal and the connecting female is a snap-fit ​​connection or a threaded connection.

[0014] For example, the epidural electrode includes a substrate and electrode contacts, with the electrode contacts embedded in the substrate; the auditory signal transmission line is connected to the electrode contacts; and the substrate is made of a flexible biocompatible material.

[0015] For example, there are multiple electrode contacts, which are arranged sequentially on the substrate.

[0016] For example, the auditory signal transmission line includes electrode wires that correspond one-to-one with the electrode contacts, and the connection terminal is provided with connecting contacts that correspond one-to-one with the electrode contacts; one end of each electrode wire is connected to the electrode contact, and the other end is connected to the connecting contact.

[0017] For example, an insulating layer is provided between adjacent electrode wires; all of the electrode wires are encapsulated in a silicone shell.

[0018] For example, the epidural electrode is fixed to the epidural surface by bio-adhesive tape.

[0019] Compared with existing technologies, the above technical solution has at least the following technical effects:

[0020] 1. By adding an epidural electrode to the implant for acquiring signals from the dura mater auditory cortex, the patient's auditory cortex response can be actively acquired during device adjustment, which facilitates the optimization of device adjustment parameters and improves the effectiveness and user experience of cochlear implants.

[0021] 2. This method does not require the patient to have the ability to express themselves, so it is especially suitable for people who have no ability to express themselves or whose ability to express themselves is impaired;

[0022] 3. The epidural electrode can be implanted along with the electrical stimulator, implanted electrodes and other implants without the need for additional surgical implantation, thus avoiding additional surgical trauma and improving the safety of cochlear implantation.

[0023] 4. In summary, the adaptive cochlear implant system of this application has a simple structure and is easy to implant. It can provide accurate feedback signals for the adjustment process and does not require the cochlear implant user to actively express themselves. It can solve the adjustment problem for groups such as infants, aphasic patients and others who cannot actively provide feedback.

[0024] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the adaptive cochlear implant system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of the adaptive cochlear implant system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an epidural electrode according to one implementation of an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an epidural electrode according to another implementation of the embodiments of this application.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Implant; 101. Receiving coil; 102. Connecting socket; 103. Auditory signal transmission line; 1031. Electrode lead; 104. Epidural electrode; 1041. Substrate; 1042. Electrode contact; 105. Electrical stimulator; 1051. Signal decoding module; 1052. Signal acquisition module; 106. Implanted electrode; 107. Connecting terminal; 1071. Connecting contact point; 2. Sound processor; 201. Microphone; 202. Signal encoding module; 203. Auditory cortex signal processing module; 204. Transmitting coil; 3. Skin flap. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the following description, numerous details are provided to enable a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the following description pertains only to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which may be practiced without one or more of these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features well-known in the art have not been described.

[0032] As described above, in related cochlear implant technologies, patients need to describe their auditory experience verbally when adjusting the volume. This method is demanding on patients and cannot be applied to infants, aphasic patients, or other groups without expressive abilities. Therefore, this application provides an adaptive cochlear implant system. This system connects an epidural electrode to an electrical stimulator, allowing signals from the dural auditory cortex collected by the epidural electrode to be transmitted to a sound processor via a receiving coil. This provides a reference for the sound processor, thereby facilitating adaptive volume adjustment. The specific structure and principle of this system are described in detail below.

[0033] The preferred embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] like Figure 1-4 This embodiment provides an adaptive cochlear implant system, which includes an implant 1 and a sound processor 2.

[0035] See also Figure 1 , 2 The implant 1 includes an electrical stimulator 105, an implanted electrode 106, a receiving coil 101, and an epidural electrode 104. The receiving coil 101 is connected to the electrical stimulator 105, and the electrical stimulator 105 is connected to the implanted electrode 106. The epidural electrode 104 is used to collect signals from the dura mater auditory cortex and is connected to the electrical stimulator 105. The signals from the dura mater auditory cortex collected by the epidural electrode 104 are processed by the electrical stimulator 105 and then emitted through the receiving coil 101. The implant 1 is positioned inside the flap 3.

[0036] Continue reading Figure 1 , 2 The sound processor 2 includes a transmitting coil 204, a signal encoding module 202, and a microphone 201. The microphone 201 is connected to the signal encoding module 202. The signal encoding module 202 is connected to the transmitting coil 204. The signal encoding module 202 is used to convert the sound signal collected by the microphone 201 into an electrical stimulation encoded signal and transmit it to the transmitting coil 204. The transmitting coil 204 is used to send the electrical stimulation encoded signal to the receiving coil 101 and to receive the dura mater auditory cortex signal emitted by the receiving coil 101. The sound processor 2 is located on the outside of the flap 3.

[0037] It is understood that the transmitting coil 204 and the receiving coil 101 are wirelessly coupled. In actual use, after receiving the sound signal, the microphone 201 transmits the sound signal to the signal encoding module 202. The signal encoding module 202 encodes the sound signal to obtain an electrical stimulation encoded signal, which is then transmitted to the receiving coil 101 via the transmitting coil 204. The electrical stimulation encoded signal received by the receiving coil 101 is transmitted to the electrical stimulator 105. The electrical stimulator 105 is fixed to the surface of the skull, decodes the received electrical stimulation encoded signal, and generates a stimulation signal which is sent to the implanted electrode 106. The implanted electrode 106 directly electrically stimulates the auditory nerve to produce hearing. The epidural electrode 104 is implanted on the epidural surface above the auditory cortex of the cochlear implant user, synchronously acquiring and capturing the auditory cortex response (i.e., auditory cortex signal), and transmitting it to the electrical stimulator 105. The electrical stimulator 105 transmits the auditory cortex signal to the sound processor 2 via the wireless coupling of the transmitting coil 204 and the receiving coil 101. The signal encoding module 202 of the sound processor 2 can automatically adjust the stimulation parameters such as the current intensity, frequency distribution and stimulation rate of the cochlear implant according to the auditory cortex signal. It can also save the auditory cortex signal and output it to the equipment of the tuning personnel, so that the tuning personnel can optimize and adjust the corresponding tuning parameters according to the feedback.

[0038] The above-described solution, by adding an epidural electrode 104 to the implant 1 for acquiring signals from the dura mater and auditory cortex, can actively acquire the patient's auditory cortex response during adjustment, thereby facilitating the optimization of adjustment parameters and improving the cochlear implant's effectiveness and user experience. Furthermore, this method does not require the patient to have expressive abilities, making it particularly suitable for individuals with no or impaired expressive abilities. Additionally, the epidural electrode 104 can be implanted along with the electrical stimulator 105, implanted electrode 106, and other inherent components of the implant 1, eliminating the need for additional surgical procedures and avoiding extra surgical trauma, thus contributing to improved cochlear implantation safety. In summary, the adaptive cochlear implant system of this embodiment has a simple structure, is easy to implant, provides accurate feedback signals during adjustment, and does not require active expression from the cochlear implant user, solving the adjustment challenges for infants, aphasic patients, and other groups unable to provide active feedback.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the sound processor 2 also includes an auditory cortex signal processing module 203; a transmitting coil 204 is connected to the auditory cortex signal processing module 203, and the auditory cortex signal processing module 203 is connected to the signal encoding module 202; the dura mater auditory cortex signal received by the transmitting coil 204 is processed by the auditory cortex signal processing module 203 and then transmitted to the signal encoding module 202. In this embodiment, the auditory cortex signal processing module 203 can analyze and process the auditory cortex signal and feed it back to the signal encoding module 202. The signal encoding module 202 can adjust the stimulation parameters in real time according to the feedback and transmit the adjusted stimulation parameters to the implant 1 through the transmitting coil 204. Of course, the signal encoding module 202 can also store the feedback for the operator to read. The operator can manually modify the stimulation parameters according to the feedback and send the stimulation parameters to the implant 1 through the sound processor 2, which will not be elaborated further. This scheme reduces the computational burden on the signal encoding module 202 by setting up an auditory cortex signal processing module 203 to preprocess the auditory cortex signal, which helps to improve the smoothness of the cochlear implant system.

[0040] Continue reading Figure 2The electrostimulator 105 includes a signal acquisition module 1052 and a signal decoding module 1051. The signal acquisition module 1052 is connected to the epidural electrode 104, and the signal decoding module 1051 is connected to the implanted electrode 106. In this embodiment, the auditory cortex signal acquired by the epidural electrode 104 is sent to the signal acquisition module 1052. The signal acquisition module 1052 then sends the auditory cortex signal to the sound processor 2 via the coupling of the receiving coil 101 and the transmitting coil. The electrostimulation encoded signal emitted by the sound processor 2 is then sent to the signal decoding module 1051 via the coupling of the receiving coil 101 and the transmitting coil. The signal decoding module 1051 processes the signal to generate a stimulation signal, which is then transmitted to the implanted electrode 106. This scheme, by setting up the electrostimulator 105 composed of the signal acquisition module 1052 and the signal decoding module 1051, can separate the input of external signals and the feedback of auditory signals, thereby avoiding interference between the two signals and thus helping to ensure the effectiveness of the cochlear implant system.

[0041] See also Figure 1 , 3 4. An epidural electrode 104 is connected to an auditory signal transmission line 103. A connection terminal 107 is provided at the end of the auditory signal transmission line 103 away from the epidural electrode 104. An electrical stimulator 105 is connected to a connection socket 102. The connection terminal 107 and the connection socket 102 are detachably connected.

[0042] In some implementations, the connection between the connecting terminal 107 and the connecting female 102 is a snap-fit ​​connection or a threaded connection.

[0043] In this embodiment, the epidural electrode 104 is designed to be replaceable. When the epidural electrode 104 malfunctions or its implantation position is not ideal, it can be replaced via the connection terminal 107, and its implantation position can be further adjusted. This replaceable design facilitates operation by medical personnel and helps improve the efficiency of cochlear implantation. Furthermore, after adjustment, the epidural electrode 104 can be easily removed individually (e.g., through a small incision, which will not be elaborated further), thus avoiding complications that may result from long-term implantation.

[0044] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown, the epidural electrode 104 includes a substrate 1041 and electrode contacts 1042, with the electrode contacts 1042 embedded in the substrate 1041. An auditory signal transmission line 103 connects to the electrode contacts 1042. The substrate 1041 is made of a flexible biocompatible material. This flexible biocompatible material includes, but is not limited to, silicone and polyimide. The electrode contacts 1042 are made of a metallic material, specifically platinum or a platinum-iridium alloy.

[0045] In this embodiment, the length of the epidural electrode 104 can be adapted to the anatomical structure of the temporal bone to the auditory cortex region. The overall shape can be strip-shaped, grid-shaped, etc. The specific shape can be adaptively selected according to different skull anatomical structures, which will not be elaborated here.

[0046] The aforementioned solution utilizes a flexible, biocompatible material 1041 as the substrate, which, due to its softness, conforms to the curved surface of the skull, reducing mechanical pressure on the dura mater. Furthermore, this material exhibits high biocompatibility, minimizing stimulation to the body.

[0047] In this embodiment, there are multiple electrode contacts 1042, which are arranged sequentially on the substrate 1041. Figure 3 , 4 These are two parallel implementation schemes for this embodiment. Figure 3 In this structure, there are four electrode contacts 1042, arranged in a 4x1 array on the substrate 1041. Figure 4 In the middle, there are 6 electrode contacts 1042, which are arranged in a 3*2 array on the substrate 1041. Figure 3 , 4 In this process, the diameter of each electrode contact 1042 is 2mm, and the distance between adjacent electrode contacts 1042 is 1.5cm. Figure 3 The matrix 1041 has a length of 8cm and a width of 0.5cm. Figure 4 The substrate 1041 is 6.5 cm long and 2 cm wide. This arrangement of multiple electrode contacts 1042 enables multi-channel signal acquisition, thus providing more accurate auditory feedback to the sound processor 2. This helps improve the tuning effect.

[0048] Continue reading Figure 3 , 4 The auditory signal transmission line 103 includes electrode wires 1031 corresponding to the electrode contacts 1042 one by one, and connection terminals 107 are provided with connection points 1071 corresponding to the electrode contacts 1042 one by one. One end of each electrode wire 1031 is connected to the electrode contact 1042, and the other end is connected to the connection point 1071. By transmitting the auditory signals collected by each electrode contact 1042 one by one through multiple electrode wires 1031, mutual interference between signals can be avoided, thereby facilitating the provision of more accurate feedback.

[0049] In this embodiment, an insulating layer is provided between adjacent electrode wires 1031; multiple electrode wires 1031 are all encapsulated within a silicone shell. By providing an insulating layer between the electrode wires 1031, short circuits between the multiple electrode wires 1031 can be avoided. Encapsulating multiple electrode wires 1031 with a silicone shell not only provides excellent biocompatibility, reducing tissue inflammation and infection risks, but also effectively protects the wires from mechanical damage and bodily fluid erosion, ensuring long-term stable electrical performance.

[0050] In this embodiment, the epidural electrode 104 is fixed to the outer surface of the dura mater using bio-adhesive tape. This method of fixation using bio-adhesive tape is simple to operate, can meet the needs of temporary fixation, and can be quickly removed when the epidural electrode 104 needs to be removed, shortening the operation time and improving the user experience.

[0051] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", and "bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0052] For ease of description, relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," and "above" are used here to describe the regional positional relationship of one or more components or features shown in the figures to other components or features. It should be understood that relative terms include not only the orientation of the component as depicted in the figure but also different orientations during use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, "above" or "above other components or features" will include cases where the component is "below" or "under" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." Furthermore, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and this document intends to include all such cases.

[0053] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, components, parts, and / or combinations thereof.

[0054] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0055] This application has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the scope of the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An adaptive cochlear implant system, characterized in that, include: Implants and sound processors; The implant includes an electrical stimulator, implanted electrodes, a receiving coil, and an epidural electrode; The receiving coil is connected to the electrical stimulator, and the electrical stimulator is connected to the implanted electrode; The epidural electrode is used to collect signals from the dural auditory cortex, and the epidural electrode is connected to the electrical stimulator; the signals from the dural auditory cortex collected by the epidural electrode are processed by the electrical stimulator and then transmitted through the receiving coil. The sound processor includes a transmitting coil, a signal encoding module, and a microphone; the microphone is connected to the signal encoding module; the signal encoding module is connected to the transmitting coil, and the signal encoding module is used to convert the sound signal collected by the microphone into an electrical stimulation encoded signal and transmit it to the transmitting coil; the transmitting coil is used to send the electrical stimulation encoded signal to the receiving coil and to receive the dura mater auditory cortex signal emitted by the receiving coil.

2. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sound processor further includes an auditory cortex signal processing module; the transmitting coil is connected to the auditory cortex signal processing module, and the auditory cortex signal processing module is connected to the signal encoding module; the dura mater auditory cortex signal received by the transmitting coil is processed by the auditory cortex signal processing module and then transmitted to the signal encoding module.

3. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical stimulator includes a signal acquisition module and a signal decoding module; the signal acquisition module is connected to the epidural electrode, and the signal decoding module is connected to the implanted electrode.

4. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The epidural electrode is connected to an auditory signal transmission line, and a connection terminal is provided at the end of the auditory signal transmission line away from the epidural electrode; the electrical stimulator is connected to a connection socket; the connection terminal and the connection socket are detachably connected.

5. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connection between the connecting terminal and the connecting female is either a snap-fit ​​connection or a threaded connection.

6. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The epidural electrode includes a substrate and electrode contacts, with the electrode contacts embedded in the substrate; the auditory signal transmission line is connected to the electrode contacts; the substrate is made of a flexible biocompatible material.

7. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of electrode contacts is multiple, and the multiple electrode contacts are arranged sequentially on the substrate.

8. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The auditory signal transmission line includes electrode wires that correspond one-to-one with the electrode contacts, and the connection terminal is provided with connection points that correspond one-to-one with the electrode contacts; one end of each electrode wire is connected to the electrode contact, and the other end is connected to the connection point.

9. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to claim 8, characterized in that, An insulating layer is provided between adjacent electrode wires; all of the electrode wires are encapsulated in a silicone shell.

10. The adaptive cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The epidural electrode is fixed to the outer surface of the dura mater using bio-adhesive tape.

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