103 results about "Middle ear structure" patented technology

A convenient and preferably wearable system and method for implementing the controlled and sustained delivery of a medical liquid through the tympanic membrane and into the middle ear including port structure that produces a minimal opening in the membrane, a wearable and fixated fluid-conduit structure coupleable to the port structure, a reservoir adapted to contain delivery fluid, and an operationally controllable pump system applied to the fluid conduit structure, and/or an iontophoretic electrode system applied within the fluid conduit structure and to the subject's body, and operable to effect the delivery of reservoir-held fluid or medically active ions through the fluid conduit and port structures to the middle ear.

An implantable hearing aid transducer is provided that allows providing movement for stimulation purposes in at least first and second directions. This allows for moving an auditory component in a direction that may be substantially aligned with a natural direction of movement for the auditory component. In one arrangement, a middle ear transducer having an elongated vibratory member that extends into a patient's tympanic cavity is operative to move a tip of the vibratory member in at least first and second directions. A first direction may be along a long axis of the vibratory member while a second direction may be in a direction that is at least partially transverse to the long axis of the vibratory member. Further, the transducer may be positionable to provide alignment of the vibratory member such that the transverse direction of movement is substantially aligned with a direction of natural movement of a middle ear component (e.g. ossicles bone) to be stimulated.

A method and apparatus for minimizing or eliminating the transmission of vibration away from, as well as induction of vibration into, a middle ear driving or sensing structure of an at least partially implantable hearing aid system. A vibration damping intermediary layer may be positioned between an originating structure and its housing, and/or between a housing and its mounting to the surrounding. The intermediary layer may be formed of a structure having elastic and damping characteristics. The intermediary layer may also have a number of fluid flow paths for absorbing energy and damping vibration.

A floating mass transducer for assisting hearing in a person is provided. Inertial vibration in the floating mass transducer (100) produces vibrations in the inner ear. In an exemplary embodiment, the floating mass transducer comprises a magnet assembly (12) and a coil (14) secured inside a housing (10) which is attached to bone within the middle ear. The coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet. The magnet assembly and coil are configured such that conducting alternating electrical current through the coil results in vibration of the magnet assembly and coil relative to one another. The vibration is caused by the interaction of the magnetic fields of the magnet assembly and coil. Because the coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet assembly, the vibrations of the coil cause the housing to vibrate. The floating mass transducer may generate vibrations in the inner ear by being attached to the skull or through a mouthpiece.

Improved formulations of gacyclidine for direct administration to the inner or middle ear.

An apparatus for equalizing pressure in a middle ear includes a hand-held air source for providing a continuous flow of air at a predetermined rate and a tapered sealing nostril plug adapted to be sealed against a nostril. The tapered nostril plug has a channel there through for delivering the continuous flow of air. The channel of the tapered plug is adapted to be placed in communication with the air source through an adjustable valve assembly for selecting a pressure limit for the air in the channel of the nostril plug.

An electrophysiological measurement method and system is provided for positioning an implantable transducer of a hearing instrument relative to a middle ear component or inner ear of a patient. The method and system employ electrophysiological measurement signals obtained in response to test signals applied to an implanted transducer. In one embodiment, the electrophysiological measurements are obtained by an electrocochleography measurement device that measures the cochlear summating potential and/or action potential responsive to test signals applied to an implanted transducer. In another embodiment, an auditory brainstem response measurement device is utilized to obtain electrical potential measurement signals responsive to test signals applied to an implanted transducer.

A middle ear prosthesis comprises a body of deformable material capable of retaining different shapes. The body comprises a slotted wall defining a cavity for receiving a bone of the middle ear. The wall is deformable proximate slots in the wall between an open position for receiving the bone and a closed position wherein the body is reshaped to grasp the bone.

A connection apparatus for coupling an implantable device, such as a hearing aid transducer, to a middle ear component. The connection apparatus includes a first joint member on the implantable device and a second joint member connectable to the middle ear component. The first and second joint members are themselves connectable during implantation of the device to couple the device and the middle ear component. In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second joint members may form a detachable connection to facilitate removal for repair and or replacement of the device

Methods and structures for placing sensing and driver assemblies in a middle ear of a patient are disclosed. Methods and structures according to various embodiments of the invention provide minimally invasive techniques and devices that facilitate placement of sensing/driver assemblies in a middle ear using a trans-canal implantation technique. Certain embodiments include placement of a longitudinal body through the ear canal for mounting in the middle ear, and for supporting a sensing/driving assembly subsequently coupled thereto.

A device for obtaining an equalization of a negative pressure in the middle ear is disclosed. The device comprises a facemask, an air pump and an air reservoir, all of them connected to a connecting tube. An increased air pressure is created by expiration into the facemask and/or by activating the air pump. A sufficient rise in air pressure in the device makes the air reservoir to expand, and this creates an increased pressure in the mouth/nose cavity and opens the Eustachian tube and forces air into the middle ear for equalization of the negative pressure in the middle ear.

An atmospheric pressure adjustment apparatus is disclosed. The atmospheric pressure adjustment apparatus comprises: a speaker; a microphone; an earplug of which a main body is made of an elastic material so as to seal the external auditory meatus when the earplug is worn on the ear of a user, and which comprises an atmospheric pressure adjustment part penetrating the main body; and atmospheric pressure adjustment device for adjusting the fluid volume of the atmospheric pressure adjustment part; and a processor for outputting a sound through the speaker when the earplug is worn, measuring the air pressure difference between the middle ear internal atmospheric pressure and the external auditory meatus atmospheric pressure of the user on the basis of the strength of a received echo when the echo of the sound reflected from the eardrum of the user is received through the microphone, and adjusting the atmospheric pressure difference by moving the atmospheric pressure adjustment device according to the measured atmospheric pressure difference.

Otologic materials and methods are provided. For example, a cell-adhesive, biodegradable hydrogel scaffold loaded with time-released drugs for repairing chronic tympanic membrane perforations is disclosed, methods of making same and administering same are provided. This hydrogel may promote vascular in-growth and epithelial cell growth of the tympanic membrane with the purpose of closing the perforation and providing a barrier between the external and middle ear. The hydrogel is initially a liquid polymer that only gels upon exposure to specific conditions, such as exposure to light. This scaffold may simultaneously induce repair of the tympanic membrane while preventing or alleviating middle ear infection, thus filling a void in current tympanic membrane perforation therapies.

The invention discloses a high-altitude operation car frame overlap welding tool. The high-altitude operation car frame overlap welding tool comprises main side plate positioning devices used for positioning main side plates of a high-altitude operation car frame, front ear plate positioning devices used for positioning front ear plates of the high-altitude operation car frame, first middle ear plate positioning devices used for positioning a first middle ear plate of the high-altitude operation car frame, second middle ear plate positioning devices used for positioning a second middle ear plate of the high-altitude operation car frame, a tail ear plate positioning device used for positioning a tail ear plate of the high-altitude operation car frame and a side ear plate positioning deviceused for a side ear plate of the high-altitude operation car frame. The high-altitude operation car frame overlap welding tool conducts accurate positioning, clamping and fixing on all the componentsof the high-altitude operation car frame through cooperation of all the positioning devices, then conducts welding assembly and is high in production efficiency, large in clamping force, accurate in positioning, stable in product quality and low in rejection rate.

A soft, ball-shaped middle-ear electrode is inserted and wedged into the natural cavity that exists in front of the round window. An electrical pulse generator connected to the soft, ball-shaped electrode provides electrical stimulation to the region surrounding the round window for the purpose of suppressing tinnitus or to improve hearing.

An electrode device is for implantation in a human ear. An implantable electrode carrier has one or more electrical contacts on its surface. The electrode carrier and the electrode contacts are adapted to interact with endosteum tissue when implanted in a human ear so as to develop current flow from the electrical contacts through the endosteum tissue toward sensory epithelium within the cochlea.

A middle ear ossicle prosthesis in which the component for ossicular attachment comprises a surface bearing a plurality of discrete projections facing the ossicle to which it is attached which minimize total contact between the prosthesis and the ossicle. The prosthesis may comprise a loop forming a partial circle for encircling an ossicle, a piston for transmitting vibrations from the loop to the inner ear, and a rod solidly connecting the loop to the piston. The loop may have an upwardly turned end to facilitate placement of the loop over the ossicle. The projections may be provided in one row, two rows, or may be otherwise arrayed, and may be dissimilar from one another in configuration and dimensions.

An implantable fixation structure includes at least one implantable holding element. The holding element is connected to an implantable cochlear implant element and maintains the cochlear implant element in a desired position relative to the middle ear of a patient user.