Surgery – Surgically implanted vibratory hearing aid
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-05
2003-04-01
Hindenburg, Max F. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Surgically implanted vibratory hearing aid
C600S559000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540662
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus of the present invention improves hearing for a hearing impaired person by introducing and maintaining a mechanical feedback barrier between a microphone and a transducer of an implantable hearing assistance system. In this method, mechanical sound vibrations impinging on the person's body habitus are received with an electromechanical device (e.g. microphone) disposed at a body habitus sound reception site. The body habitus sound reception site can be located within the external auditory canal, or external of the external auditory canal either subdermally or external of the scalp, or even subdermally along the external auditory canal.
The mechanical sound vibrations are converted with the electromechanical device to an amplified electrical signal. Next, the amplified electrical signal is delivered to the inner ear with a transducer operatively coupled between the electromechanical device and the middle ear or the inner ear.
Finally, a mechanical feedback barrier is introduced and maintained between the sound reception site and the transducer to minimize acoustic feedback therebetween. Preferably, this feedback barrier is established by removing a portion of the hearing impaired person's ossicular chain (e.g malleus, incus, or stapes) or fixing a portion of the ossicular chain to prevent transmission of sound feedback. In other embodiments, a portion of the ossicular chain is not removed but merely separated so that the procedure can be reversed if desired at a later time.
This method and apparatus of the present invention optimizes hearing improvement by preventing unnecessary mechanical feedback that can occur through the ossicular chain and the external auditory canal. Interrupting the ossicular chain, or otherwise immobilizing the ossicular chain, to prevent this retrograde sound transmission permits significant enhancement of the gain applied to the amplified electrical signal transmitted to the stapes or inner ear. In addition, less mechanical energy is required to transmit the acoustic energy to the interrupted ossicular chain or cochlea than when the ossicular chain remains intact. Accordingly, this method and apparatus reduces power consumption and frequent battery replacement for implantable hearing assistance systems.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3594514 (1971-07-01), Wingrove
patent: 3712962 (1973-01-01), Epley
patent: 3764748 (1973-10-01), Branch et al.
patent: 3870832 (1975-03-01), Fredrickson
patent: 3882285 (1975-05-01), Nunley et al.
patent: 4150262 (1979-04-01), Ono
patent: 4169292 (1979-10-01), Grote
patent: 4466690 (1984-08-01), Osypka
patent: 4498461 (1985-02-01), Hakansson
patent: 4601723 (1986-07-01), McGrew
patent: 4606329 (1986-08-01), Hough
patent: 4628907 (1986-12-01), Epley
patent: 4696287 (1987-09-01), Hortmann et al.
patent: 4729366 (1988-03-01), Schaefer et al.
patent: 4756312 (1988-07-01), Epley
patent: 4774933 (1988-10-01), Hough et al.
patent: 4776322 (1988-10-01), Hough et al.
patent: 4850962 (1989-07-01), Schaefer
patent: 4957478 (1990-09-01), Maniglia
patent: 4969900 (1990-11-01), Fleischer
patent: 4988333 (1991-01-01), Engebretson et al.
patent: 5015224 (1991-05-01), Maniglia
patent: 5015225 (1991-05-01), Hough et al.
patent: 5085628 (1992-02-01), Engebretson et al.
patent: 5163957 (1992-11-01), Sade et al.
patent: 5277694 (1994-01-01), Leysieffer et al.
patent: 5282858 (1994-02-01), Bisch et al.
patent: 5338287 (1994-08-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5370689 (1994-12-01), Causse
patent: 5386475 (1995-01-01), Birck et al.
patent: 5411467 (1995-05-01), Hortmann et al.
patent: 5456654 (1995-10-01), Ball
patent: 5498226 (1996-03-01), Lenkauskas
patent: 5554096 (1996-09-01), Ball
patent: 5558618 (1996-09-01), Maniglia
patent: 5624376 (1997-04-01), Ball et al.
patent: 5702342 (1997-12-01), Metzler et al.
patent: 5776144 (1998-07-01), Leysieffer et al.
patent: 5788711 (1998-08-01), Lehner et al.
patent: 5836863 (1998-11-01), Bushek et al.
patent: 5842967 (1998-12-01), Kroll
patent: 5906635 (1999-05-01), Maniglia
patent: 5941814 (1999-08-01), Lehner et al.
patent: 5999632 (1999-12-01), Leysieffer et al.
patent: 6001129 (1999-12-01), Bushek et al.
patent: 6050933 (2000-04-01), Bushek et al.
patent: 6077215 (2000-06-01), Leysieffer
patent: 6088619 (2000-07-01), Hein et al.
patent: 6113531 (2000-09-01), Leysieffer et al.
patent: 6123660 (2000-09-01), Leysieffer
patent: 6139488 (2000-10-01), Ball
patent: 6171229 (2001-01-01), Kroll et al.
patent: 6261223 (2001-07-01), Brillhart et al.
patent: 6315710 (2001-11-01), Bushek et al.
patent: 6325755 (2001-12-01), Bushek et al.
patent: 28 34 891 (1980-01-01), None
patent: 39 18 329 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 196 18 961 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 196 38 159 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 263 254 (1988-04-01), None
patent: WO 94/17645 (1994-08-01), None
“Middle Ear Implant: Implantable Hearing Adis,”Advances in Audiology, vol. 4, M. Hoke Series Editor, Karger, 1-169 (1988).
Dormer, PhD., K.J., et al., “Selection of Biomaterials for Middle and Inner Ear Implants,”:Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 28:17-27 (1995).
Dumon, M.D., T., et al., “Piezoelectric Middle Ear Implant Preserving the Ossicular Chain,”Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 28:173-188 (1995).
Dumon, T., et al., “Piezoelectric Middle Ear Implant: Experimental Results,” Abstract of Paper Presented at International Sumposium on Electronic Implants in Otology and Conventional Hearing Aids, Walt Disney World Swan, Abstract #35, (Nov. 11-14, 1996).
Fredrickson, J.M., et al., “Ongoing Investigations into an Implantable Electromagnetic Hearing Aid for Moderate to Severe Sensorineural Hearing Loss,”:Otolaryngological Clinics of North America, vol., 28, No. 1, 107-121, (Feb. 1995).
Gyo, K., et al., “Stapes Vibration Produced by the Output Transducer of an Implantable Hearing Aid,”Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg., vol. 113, 1078-1081 (Oct. 1987).
Ko, Wen H., et al., “Engineering Principles of Mechanical Stimulatioin of the Middle Ear,”Otolaryngological Clinics of North America, vol. 28, No. 1, 29-41 (Feb. 1995).
Ko, PhD., W.H., “A Preliminary Study on the Implantable Middle Ear Hearing Aid,”I.E.E.E. 9thAnnual Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, (1987).
Kodera, K., et al., Sound Evaluation of Partially Implantable Piezoelectric Middle Ear Implant: Comparative Study of Frequency Responses,:ENT Journal, vol. 73, No. 2, 108-111, (Feb. 1994).
Lenkauskas, El, “Totally Implantable Hearing Aid Device,”Transplants and Implants in Otology II, 371-375 (1991).
Maniglia, A.J., et al., “A Contactless Electromagnetic Implantable Middle Ear Device for Sensorineural Hearing Loss,”ENT Journal, vol. 73, No. 2, 78-90, (Feb. 1994).
Maniglia, A. J., et al., “Contactless, Semi-Implantable Electromagnetic Hearing Device for the Treatment of Sensorineural Hearing Loss,”Abstract from Paper Presented at International Symposiun on Electronic Implants in Otology and Conventional Hearing Aids, Walt Disney World Swan, Abstract #29, (Nov. 11-14, 1993).
Maniglia, A.J., et al., “Contactless Semi-Implantable Electromagnetic Middle Ear Device for the Treatment of Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Short-Term and Long-Term Animal Experiments,”:Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 28:121-140, (1995).
Maniglia, M.D., A.J., et al., “Electromagnetic Implantable Middle Ear Hearing Device of the Ossicular-Stimulating Type: Principles, Designs, and Experiments,”Ann. Otol. Rhinol Laryngol, 97 (Supl]pl 136), Part 2, (1988).
Maniglia, M.D., A.J., “Implantable Hearing Devices: State of the Art,”Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 22:175-200, (1989).
Ohno, T., “The Implantable Hearing Aid,”Audecibel, Fall 1984, Winter 1985 (1984).
Snik, PhD., Ad F.M., et al., “The Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Compared with Conventional Hearing Aids: Audiologic Results and the Patients' Opinions,”Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 28:73-83 (1995).
Suzuki, J.I., et al., “Implantation of Partially Implantable Middle Ear Implant and the Indication,”Advances in Audiology, (Karger, Basel), 4:160-166 (1988).
Suzuki,, J.I.,
Bushek Donald J.
Kroll Kai
Meyerson Scott C.
Urbanski Paul J.
Fredrikson & Byron , P.A.
St. Croix Medical, Inc.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for reduced feedback in implantable... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for reduced feedback in implantable..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for reduced feedback in implantable... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3113988