Cochlear Promontory Stimulation for Long-Term Tinnitus Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for tinnitus, such as pharmacological therapies and surgical devices, are inadequate in addressing the underlying pathophysiological process and do not provide lasting relief, with existing electrical stimulation devices offering only temporary relief.
Innovation Solution
Implantable electrodes and stimulation devices that deliver electrical stimulation to the cochlear promontory, including intraosseous and surface electrodes, to target specific patterns and frequencies of tinnitus, with optional wireless communication and adjustable parameters for personalized treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current pharmacological therapies and surgical devices are used to treat tinnitus, then temporary symptom management may be achieved, but the underlying pathophysiological process is not addressed and lasting relief is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological and conventional surgical approaches with electrical stimulation therapy. The implantable device delivers controlled electrical pulses to the cochlear promontory, using electrical fields to modulate neural activity and provide lasting tinnitus relief, thereby substituting chemical and mechanical treatment modalities with an electrical field-based approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable electrical stimulation parameters including pulse width, amplitude, and frequency to optimize treatment efficacy. The device allows programming of different stimulation patterns (continuous vs. intermittent) and parameter adjustment to match individual patient needs, enabling long-term effective suppression of tinnitus through parameter optimization.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electrical stimulation devices are used to treat tinnitus, then relief from tinnitus symptoms can be achieved, but the treatment may not be imperceptible to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single electrode positioned at the cochlear promontory to deliver localized electrical stimulation. This focal placement ensures that the electrical field is concentrated at the target site, providing effective tinnitus relief while minimizing spread of stimulation to other cochlear regions, thereby reducing perceptible side effects and maintaining imperceptibility of the treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable stimulation parameters that can be programmed to deliver partial or intermittent electrical pulses rather than continuous high-intensity stimulation. This allows effective tinnitus suppression while keeping individual pulse intensities below perceptible thresholds, ensuring the treatment remains imperceptible to the patient.
3Reliability
If electrical stimulation is delivered to the cochlear region, then tinnitus treatment efficacy is improved, but risk of sensorineural hearing loss may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the cochlear promontory bone as an intermediary structure to deliver electrical stimulation indirectly to the cochlear nerve. The electrode is positioned on the promontory surface, using the bone as a natural insulator and conduit, which focuses the electrical field at the nerve interface while preventing direct contact with sensitive hair cells, thereby reducing the risk of sensorineural damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a single electrode configuration where the device case serves as the return path, creating a distributed current field that maintains equipotential conditions across the cochlear region. This approach distributes the electrical stress over a larger area rather than concentrating it at a single point, reducing the risk of localized overheating or tissue damage that could lead to sensorineural hearing loss.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If implantable electrodes are used to deliver electrical stimulation, then long-term treatment capability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes existing cochlear implant receiver/stimulator technology as the basis for the tinnitus treatment device. By adapting proven, FDA-approved cochlear implant hardware and surgical techniques, the invention achieves long-term implantable functionality while minimizing device complexity through reuse of established multi-functional components designed for chronic cochlear stimulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a single electrode design where the device case itself serves as the return path for electrical current, eliminating the need for separate reference electrodes or complex multi-electrode configurations. This self-contained architecture simplifies the implant structure while maintaining long-term stimulation capability, as the device serves its own electrical circuit requirements without additional components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides long-term relief from tinnitus with residual inhibition after treatment cessation, minimizing sensorineural hearing loss risks and improving cochlear coverage, while being imperceptible and adjustable for individual patient needs.
Implementation Method 1
a lead comprising an elongate insulated electrical conductor and defining a longitudinal axis, the electrical conductor in electrical communication with the stimulator device to conduct the electrical pulse stimuli
Data Source
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AI summary
Electrical stimulation devices can be used to treat tinnitus. For example, tinnitus can be treated using implantable electrodes and stimulation devices for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient's cochlear region, such as the cochlear promontory. Intraosseous cochlear promontory electrode(s), endosteal electrode(s), subendosteal electrode(s), or short intracochlear electrode(s) (or a combination thereof), connected to a cochlear implant receiver/stimulator device, can provide a successful model for long-term treatment of tinnitus in a large number of patients. In some cases, patients can simply turn on the tinnitus implant when experiencing troublesome tinnitus and gain instant relief.