Method for evaluating inner ear hearing loss

Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical energy applicator

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607 55, 607 56, 607 57, A61N 100

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active

057761795

ABSTRACT:
A method for evaluating the electromotility of hair cells within the cochlea of a mammalian ear by providing an electrode in proximate relation with the round window and applying electricity therethrough in order to electrically excite hair cells within the cochlea to produce electrically-evoked otoacoustic emissions therefrom. The electrically-evoked otoacoustic emissions further excite the internal structure of the cochlea which produces vibrations at the oval window that act through the bones of the middle ear to drive the tympanic membrane, producing corresponding acoustic sounds in the ear canal. The resulting acoustic sounds in the ear canal are subsequently detected with a microphone where they are later measured and characterized via readily available signal processing techniques. A hearing aid device is also provided by this invention utilizing the features of the before mentioned analysis technique wherein a traditional hearing aid device acoustically captures a sound adjacent the outer ear and converts it to an electrical signal which is fed to the electrode in order to excite the hair cells within the cochlea and produce electrically-evoked pressure waves therein. The resulting electrically-evoked pressure waves subsequently excite the cochlea and produce perceived hearing in the brain of the test subject through the normal hearing processes of hair cells and conducting neurons.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4535785 (1985-08-01), van den Honert et al.
Electrically Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions from the Apical Truns of the Gerbil Cochlea, Hideko H. Nakahima, et al., Acoustical Society of America, pp. 786-794, 1994.
Meausurement of Otoacoustic Emissions for Hearing Assessment, M.L. Whitehead et al., IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology, pp. 210-226, 1994.
Alternating Current Delivered into the Scala media Alters Sound Pressure at the Eardrum, Allyn E. Hubbard et al., American Association for the Advancement of Science, vol. 222, pp.510-512, 1983.
Acoustic Enhancement of Electrically-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions Reflects Basilar Membrane Tuning: Experiment Results, Shuwan Xue et al., Hearing Research, pp. 121-126, 1993.
Alternating Current Induced Otoacoustic Emissions in the Guinea Pig, Keiichi Murata et al., Hearing Research, pp. 201-214, 1991.
Electrophonic Hearing and Cochlear Implants, Arne Risberg, et al., Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh), pp. 156-163, 1990.
Das "Radiophon", Dr. Gustav Eichhorn, pp. 308-312.

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