Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh

Angelika Dierker

Konrad Eugen Schwarz

Martin Franz Goll

Stefan Strahl

Philipp Spitzer

A hearing implant fitting system includes a physiological database containing physiological data characterizing auditory neural tissue response to electrical stimulation. A neural action potential (NAP) measurement system measures NAP signals from cochlear tissue responding to electrical stimulation signals delivered by one or more of the electrode contacts, including: deriving a compound discharge latency distribution (CDLD) of the cochlear tissue by deconvolving: (1) a tissue response measurement signal taken responsive to the delivered electrical stimulation signals, with (2) an elementary unit response signal representing voltage change at a measurement electrode contact due to the electrical stimulation, and then comparing the CDLD to physiological data from the physiological database to detect an NAP signal from the tissue response measurement signal. A fitting display provides to the fitting audiologist a visual display representing the CDLD and the NAP signal for fitting the electrode array to an implanted patient.

Detecting neuronal action potentials using a convolutive compound action potential model

A method of fitting a cochlear implant in an ipsilateral ear of a subject, the cochlear implant having an electrode array with one or more electrode contacts, includes applying broad-band white noise stimulus to a contralateral ear in order to mask efferent nerve fibers, applying a single pulse stimulus to the ipsilateral ear and then measuring base-line evoked compound action potential (CAP) signals in the ipsilateral ear for an electrode contact during a refractory period, applying a sequence of separated single pulse stimuli to the contralateral ear and then measuring attenuated CAP signals in the ipsilateral ear for the electrode contact during the refractory period, comparing the measured attenuated CAP signals to the measured base-line CAP signals in order to determine a CAP threshold for the electrode contact and adjusting processing parameters of the cochlear implant based on the CAP threshold.

Cochlear implant fitting via efferent nerve fibers

A system for frequency matching a cochlear implant during fitting includes a tissue stimulation device configured to generate a tonal stimulus to mask efferent nerve fibers in a subject, one or more response measurement contacts configured to measure CAP signals during and outside of a refractory period, a frequency matching module in communication with the response measurement contacts and configured to receive the CAP signals during and outside of the refractory period to determine a stimulation location on the cochlear implant based on a comparison of the received CAP signals both during and outside of the refractory period, and a parameter adjusting module in communication with the frequency matching module and configured to interface with the cochlear implant and to adjust its processing parameters based on the stimulation location. Methods for frequency matching a cochlear implant during fitting are also disclosed.

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Innsbruck, Austria

Angelika Dierker