Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/18—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes
  • A61N1/32—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents
  • A61N1/36—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents for stimulation
  • A61N1/3605—Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
  • A61N1/3606—Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system adapted for a particular treatment
  • A61N1/361—Phantom sensations, e.g. tinnitus
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/18—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes
  • A61N1/32—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents
  • A61N1/36—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents for stimulation
  • A61N1/36036—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents for stimulation of the outer, middle or inner ear
  • A61N1/36038—Cochlear stimulation
  • A61N1/36039—Cochlear stimulation fitting procedures
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/02—Details
  • A61N1/04—Electrodes
  • A61N1/05—Electrodes for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
  • A61N1/0526—Head electrodes
  • A61N1/0541—Cochlear electrodes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/18—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes
  • A61N1/32—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents
  • A61N1/36—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents for stimulation
  • A61N1/36036—Applying electric currents by contact electrodes alternating or intermittent currents for stimulation of the outer, middle or inner ear

Definitions

• the present invention relates to hearing aid systems, and more particularly to a hybrid hearing aid system that combines a cochlear stimulator and a hearing aid to provide a hearing aid system that relies primarily on the cochlear stimulator portion of the system for being able to sense high frequency sounds, and that relies primarily on normal hearing processes, or a hearing aid, for being able to sense lower frequency sounds.
• Such hybrid hearing aid system is best suited for use with a short cochlear electrode array of the type described in applicant's copending patent application, filed concurrently herewith, entitled “Electrode Array for Hybrid Cochlear Stimulator" (Attorney Docket Number AB-084-PC), which application is incorporated herein by reference.
• FIG. 1 is a functional schematic diagram of the ear, showing the manner in which an implantable cochlear stimulator and short cochlear electrode in the basal region of the cochlea may be used to practice the invention in accordance with one embodiment thereof;
• FIG. 2 is a functional schematic diagram of the ear as in FIG. 1, and further shows the manner in which a conventional in-the-ear hearing aid may be used to supplement the practice of the invention
• FIG. 3 is a functional schematic diagram of the ear as in FIGS. 1 and 2, and further shows how a middle-ear acoustic boosting system or hearing-aid device may be used as part of the hybrid system of the invention.
• These high frequency sounds are then converted to appropriate electrical stimuli that are selectively applied to the electrode contacts 54 of the electrode array 52 positioned in the basal region of the cochlea.
• Such electrical stimuli bypass the defective hair cells in the basal region of the cochlea and directly activate the nerves within the of the spiral ganglion, causing nerve impulses to be transferred to the brain, where they may be perceived as high frequency sounds.
• the other hair cells in the cochlea i.e., those in the apical and mid regions of the scala tympani duct, retain their functionality. That is, these hair cells are able to sense the fluid waves set up by vibrations of the membrane 30 corresponding to low-to-mid frequency sounds.
• the patient or user of the hybrid system shown in FIG. 1 is able to sense high frequency sounds through the ICS portion of the system, and is able to sense lower frequency sounds through the normal hearing processes of the ear.
• the present invention provides a versatile hybrid cochlear stimulation and hearing aid system that may restore hearing function over a wide frequency band, e.g., from low frequencies to high frequencies.
• the invention provides such a hybrid system wherein minimally invasive surgical techniques need be employed.
• the invention provides a versatile hybrid system that can be used for a wide variety of applications, ranging from higher frequency neural stimulation, with or without signal enhancement (balancing, smoothing and phase compensation); tinnitus suppression; residual lower frequency hearing, or lower frequency acoustic signal enhancement.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Neurology (AREA)
• Neurosurgery (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=22462679

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (16)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-12 EP EP00928976A patent/EP1185331A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-05-12 AU AU47129/00A patent/AU4712900A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-05-12 WO PCT/US2000/013122 patent/WO2000069512A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-05-12 CA CA002370860A patent/CA2370860A1/en not_active Abandoned

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