51 results about "Ossicular chain" patented technology

Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject's hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound.

Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject's hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound.

A noninvasive method and system are provided for assessing the performance of implanted actuators of semi or fully-implantable hearing aid systems. The invention utilizes an externally positioned test measurement device to obtain measurements of the electrical impedance of an implanted actuator when driven by a test signal of predetermined characteristics. In one embodiment, the test measurement device may comprise a signal generator for generating the test signal for the actuator, a signal processing unit to compute the electrical impedance from voltage and current measurements, and a user interface to provide an output that is usable to asses the performance of the actuator. The electrical impedance is computable from the voltage and current of the signal passing through the actuator. The electrical impedance is directly related to the mechanical impedance present at the interface between the actuator and middle ear of a patient. As such, by driving the actuator at one or more predetermined frequencies the resultant voltage and current measurements may be utilized to assess whether the implanted transducer is operative and whether a desired interface between the transducer and the middle ear of patient (e.g. the ossicular chain) is present.

An ossicle prosthesis includes, at one end, a first fastening element designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane, and, at the other end, a second fastening element for mechanical connection with a component or parts of a component of the ossicular chain or with the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements with each other in a sound-conducting manner; the top plate includes a radially outward annular region, a radially inward attachment region for mechanically attaching the top plate to the connecting element, and several segment elements for radially connecting the annular region with the attachment region, characterized by the fact that the segment elements are geometrically designed such that they locally emulate any localized medial motions made by the tympanic membrane, but they do not transmit the motion to distant regions of the top plate. As a result, a high level of post-operative flexibility and variability of the prosthesis, and higher-quality sound conduction through the prosthesis may be attained in a technically simple, uncomplicated, and cost-favorable manner.

A noninvasive method and system are provided for assessing the performance of implanted actuators of semi or fully-implantable hearing aid systems. The invention utilizes an externally positioned measurement device to obtain a test measure of the electrical signal passing through an implanted actuator when driven by a test signal of predetermined characteristics. In one embodiment, the measurement device may comprise a pair of coils for measuring the magnetic field generated by an implanted actuator utilized to simulate the middle ear of a patient. The magnetic field strength is directly related to the amount of current passing through the actuator. In turn, such current is inversely related to the electrical impedance present at the implanted actuator. Such electrical impedance is directly related to the mechanical impedance present at the interface between the implanted actuator and middle ear of a patient. As such, by driving an implanted actuator at one or more predetermined frequencies the resultant magnetic field measures may be utilized to assess whether the implanted actuator is operative and whether a desired interface between the actuator and the middle ear of patient (e.g. the ossicular chain) is present.

A noninvasive method and system are provided for assessing the performance of implanted actuators of semi or fully-implantable hearing aid systems. The invention utilizes an externally positioned measurement device to obtain a test measure of the electrical signal passing through an implanted actuator when driven by a test signal of predetermined characteristics. In one embodiment, the measurement device may comprise a pair of coils for measuring the magnetic field generated by an implanted actuator utilized to simulate the middle ear of a patient. The magnetic field strength is directly related to the amount of current passing through the actuator. In turn, such current is inversely related to the electrical impedance present at the implanted actuator. Such electrical impedance is directly related to the mechanical impedance present at the interface between the implanted actuator and middle ear of a patient. As such, by driving an implanted actuator at one or more predetermined frequencies the resultant magnetic field measures may be utilized to assess whether the implanted actuator is operative and whether a desired interface between the actuator and the middle ear of patient (e.g. the ossicular chain) is present.

An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15′, 15″) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16′) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area and / or the web elements and / or the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration that they together form pieces of a jigsaw from which the first securing element can be assembled in its entirety, wherein the individual jigsaw pieces can be joined to one another or removed from one another, and wherein the first securing element is inherently mechanically stable in the state with the jigsaw pieces joined together. This means that the number of different prostheses to be kept ready during an operation can be reduced to a single standard prosthesis, without losing the possibility of optimal adaptation of the prosthesis to the specific case of use.

A transport device for receiving and securely holding an ossicular prosthesis for implantation in a middle ear to replace or bridge at least parts of a component of a human ossicular chain to an operating surgeon, has a substantially flat base plate of thin metal sheet having a thickness of substantially half a millimeter, a holding device integrated in the substantially flat base plate for holding the ossicular prosthesis, an outer packaging enclosing the base plate on all sides during transport, and the base plate has a device for ensuring safe transport provided with burr-shaped segments extending laterally outward from the base plate and clampable or braceable against inner walls of the outer packaging.

An ossicle prosthesis includes, at one end, a first fastening element designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane, and, at the other end, a second fastening element for mechanical connection with a component or parts of a component of the ossicular chain or with the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements with each other in a sound-conducting manner; the top plate includes a radially outward annular region, a radially inward attachment region for mechanically attaching the top plate to the connecting element, and several segment elements for radially connecting the annular region with the attachment region, characterized by the fact that the segment elements are geometrically designed such that they locally emulate any localized medial motions made by the tympanic membrane, but they do not transmit the motion to distant regions of the top plate. As a result, a high level of post-operative flexibility and variability of the prosthesis, and higher-quality sound conduction through the prosthesis may be attained in a technically simple, uncomplicated, and cost-favorable manner.

A device for adjusting and fixing relative position between an actuator end piece of an active hearing implant and an element of the ossicular chain or a coupling part to the human inner ear has a connecting element with a first coupling element for coupling to the actuator end piece, a second coupling element, and a shaft-shaped middle part, and the first coupling element geometrically encompasses the actuator end piece with two opposing parallel arms each having a pattern element to fix the encompassed actuator end piece in selectable discrete axial positions in a direction parallel to an axis of the shaft-shaped middle part, for variable-length adaptation and fixing of the actuator end piece relative to the first coupling element in a direction transverse to the axis.

An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15′, 15″) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16′) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area and / or the web elements and / or the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration that they together form pieces of a jigsaw from which the first securing element can be assembled in its entirety, wherein the individual jigsaw pieces can be joined to one another or removed from one another, and wherein the first securing element is inherently mechanically stable in the state with the jigsaw pieces joined together. This means that the number of different prostheses to be kept ready during an operation can be reduced to a single standard prosthesis, without losing the possibility of optimal adaptation of the prosthesis to the specific case of use.

The invention provides a noise power generation apparatus and method based on human ossicular chain type conduction. The noise power generation apparatus comprises a sound wave receiving unit, a vibration membrane, an artificial human ossicular chain lever unit, an acoustic-electric conversion unit, and a voltage-stabilizing amplification circuit, wherein the output end of the sound wave receiving unit is connected with one end of the artificial human ossicular chain lever unit; the vibration membrane is arranged between the output end of the sound wave receiving unit and one end of the artificial human ossicular chain lever unit; the other end of the artificial human ossicular chain lever unit is connected with the acoustic-electric conversion unit; the output end of the acoustic-electric conversion unit is connected with the input end of the voltage-stabilizing amplification circuit; and the output end of the voltage-stabilizing amplification circuit is connected to a storage battery. According to the noise power generation apparatus, the vibration of the vibration membrane is caused through the received sound wave; then the vibration of the artificial human ossicular chain lever unit is caused; the tail end of the artificial human ossicular chain lever unit is in full contact with a piezoelectric thin film, so that the piezoelectric thin film can generate a positive piezoelectric effect to generate current; and therefore, on the basis of improving the noise utilization rate, a bionics principle is fully utilized, so that the relatively high improvement of the performance of the apparatus is realized.

The invention is related to a totally implantable cochlear implant having a transducer which is a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester to be mounted on the ossicular chain or the tympanic membrane to detect the frequency of oscillations and generate the required voltage to stimulate the relevant auditory nerves. The invention enables patients' continuous access to sound, since it eliminates the outside components of conventional cochlear implants. The invention also eliminates the problem of battery need, since the transducer generates voltage required to stimulate auditory nerves from the vibrations of ossicular chain. The transducer is fabricated using Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques. The invention incorporates of two main parts, a transducer acting both as a frequency detector and an energy harvester, and electrodes to stimulate the auditory nerve inside the cochlea.

An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at the other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area, the web elements and the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that a plastic deformation is effected by stretching or pushing together in the plane of the plate of the first securing element, by means of which plastic deformation the external diameter of the first securing element is permanently increased or reduced. This means that the number of different prostheses to be kept ready during an operation can be reduced to a single standard prosthesis, without losing the possibility of optimal adaptation of the prosthesis to the specific case of use.

An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15′, 15″) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16′, 16″) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the web elements are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that the web elements can be easily broken off and the radially outer portions appended to them detached from the first securing element, such that the external diameter of the first securing element is reduced in this area. This means that the number of different prostheses to be kept ready during an operation can be reduced to a single standard prosthesis, without losing the possibility of optimal adaptation of the prosthesis to the specific case of use.

The invention discloses an ear nerve activating TV therapy, comprising the steps of 1, carrying out pharmaceutical intervention, to be specific, intervening with different therapeutic drugs according to different symptoms, intervening the focus directly with an acoustic frequency therapy apparatus, with high acting speed and good therapeutic effect for restoring auditory nerve activity, so that hearing can be recovered quickly, and tinnitus can be eliminated; 2, carrying out acoustic conduction therapy, to be specific, transmitting physiological pulse waves, like atmospheric pressure, constantly to the tympanic membrane to enhance the functionality of the auditory tube, so that sound-conducting functionality of the tympanic membrane and ossicular chain is enhanced and improved through the physical principle of pumping and vibrating the tympanic membrane, and the objective of the therapy is achieved. Pharmaceutical intervention is performed and different drugs are prepared according to the different symptoms; the auricular point is directly intervened; the cooperation with acoustic frequency therapy helps the drugs intervene the focus the most directly and the most effectively. The ear nerve activating TV therapy is an efficient therapeutic means of a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine and combination of the tradition and modern; desired results are produced through 1 to 2 courses of tinnitus treatment with the ear nerve activating TV therapy.

The invention provides a damper with a bionic ossicular chain structure. The damper comprises a damper body of a bionic human ear ossicular chain and a damper shell of a bionic human inner ear, the damper body is assembled in the damper shell and comprises a bionic malleus portion, a bionic incus portion and a bionic stapes portion, the bionic malleus portion comprises a malleus handle portion with each of the upper and lower surfaces with preset radian, a malleus head portion consistent with a human ear malleus head in appearance and a connecting portion connecting the lower undersurface of the malleus handle portion and the malleus head portion, the bionic incus portion comprises a malleus-incus joint portion matched with the malleus head portion in shape and an incus processus longus portion extending out from the malleus-incus joint portion, and the bionic stapes portion comprises an incus-stapes jjoint portion connected with the incus processus longus portion and a stapes bottom plate portion. The damper based on ossicular chain transmission mechanism is high in response speed and self-adaptive adjustability, can well protect equipment in a factory and safety of construction personnel and can be applied in the field of traffic and transportation to make damping performance of seats better.

An ossicular prosthesis has a first fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane or a component of the ossicular chain, a second fastening element for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain, or directly to the inner ear, an elongated connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner and includes an adjusting device for adjusting the axial length of the prosthesis and including at least two partial strands that extend symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, are extendable and / or compressible in the axial direction, are permanently plastically deformable, and are folded into a plurality of loops transversely to the longitudinal axis before being deformed. As a result, a relatively simple design of the adjusting device considerably reduces the number of different prostheses that must be kept on hand, while ensuring that the prosthesis may be optimally adapted for a specific case.

Erosion of elements of the ossicular chain in the middle ear, resulting in hearing loss, is corrected by creating a bridge between the eroded elements, employing a bone cement formed as a paste of a self-hardening material, which is molded into an elongated bridge, secured at its two ends to the elements to be bridged, and supported in its desired position until the material hardens to fuse the two elements, at which time the support may be removed. The material is preferably hydroxyapatite cement, bone source, or similar material, such as ionomeric bone cement. These materials strongly bond to the contacting bone and may stimulate bone in-growth, resulting in osseointegration. The apparatus for forming the bridge consists of a reservoir of the bridge material in liquid or paste form connected to a bridge supporting tube. The tube is preferably placed in contact with the two elements to be bridged and the bone source material is injected into the tube using a manually actuated plunger until the tube is full. The tube is then supported, manually or otherwise, until the material hardens and the supporting tube is removed.