Cochlear Implant Electrodes With Biological Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cochlear implants face inefficiencies in transmitting electrical signals to the auditory nerve due to the need for signals to travel through extracellular fluid and connective tissue, leading to weakened stimulation and limited effectiveness in restoring hearing for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating biological cells, such as stem cells or neural progenitor cells, onto the electrodes of cochlear implants, which can extend processes to form direct connections with the auditory nerve, enhancing signal transmission and potentially replacing degenerated neurons, thereby improving hearing perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cochlear implants use electrodes to stimulate auditory nerve fibers, then hearing restoration can be achieved, but signal transmission efficiency is reduced due to signals traveling through extracellular fluid and connective tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces biological cells (neural progenitor cells, stem cells, or neurons) as intermediary structures between the electrodes and the auditory nerve. These cells extend processes that form direct connections, acting as mediators to transmit electrical signals more efficiently, bypassing the need for signals to travel through extracellular fluid and connective tissue, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving hearing restoration and maintaining signal transmission efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/electrical signal transmission path (through extracellular fluid and connective tissue) with a biological transmission system. The biological cells form direct neural connections that substitute for the indirect mechanical signal propagation, enabling more efficient electrical signal transmission from electrodes to the auditory nerve while reducing energy loss
2Productivity
If cochlear implants bypass dead or damaged hair cells to directly stimulate auditory nerve fibers, then hearing perception can be restored, but the complexity of the implant increases due to the need for biological cell integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical stimulation function of the electrode array with the biological cell component. The biological cells are integrated onto the electrode structures, combining the electrical signal generation capability with the biological signal transmission capability in a single unified implant device, thereby achieving enhanced hearing restoration without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The biological cells serve multiple functions within the implant: they act as signal transmission mediators, form direct connections to the auditory nerve, and can potentially replace degenerated neurons. This multi-functionality allows the implant to achieve enhanced hearing restoration effectiveness while avoiding the need for separate components for each function, thus managing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention features devices for treating hearing loss, methods of making the devices, and methods for treating hearing loss. The devices include cochlear implants with biological cells placed at least on one or more of the electrodes of the implant. The cochlear implants then bypass dead or damaged hair cells in the cochlea by directly stimulating the auditory nerve fibers leading to the perceptions of sound. The biological cells can extend processes from the implant to the brainstem, creating a bridge that transmits electric signals from the electrode to the brainstem more efficiently than traditional cochlear implants. Methods of making the implants include applying a composition containing biological cells to an electrode of a cochlear implant, and treatment methods include implanting a cochlear implant that carries biological cells on one or more electrodes into a human who has experienced profound hearing loss (e.g., sensorineural hearing loss).