Advanced Bionics Ag

Medtronic, Inc.

Kanthaiah Koka

Leonid Michael Litvak

R Tissa Karunasiri

Smita S Agrawal

Aniket Saoji

Anthony J Spahr

Anil K Patnala

Charles C Finley

Gulamali Emadi

Mark B Downing

Guillermo A Calle

Chen Chen

Roger Calixto

Hannah A Glick

Jason Galster

Avram Scheiner

James B Hissong

Abhijit Kulkarni

Thomas I Miller

Sean Patrick Skubitz

Kristin N Hageman

Adam J Rivard

Kurt J Koester

Amy Stein

Erik J Peterson

David J Miller

Robert T Sandgren

Dean Swan

Mark Londborg

Joachim Thiemann

Mary Elizabeth Bush

Raphael Koning

Hansjuerg Emch

An illustrative electroacoustic hearing system includes a loudspeaker and a processor configured to: direct the loudspeaker to present a sound to a recipient by way of a length of tubing extending from the loudspeaker to an ear tip disposed at an ear canal of the recipient, the directing configured to cause the sound to have a target sound pressure level at the ear canal; obtain a detected sound pressure level of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal, the detected sound pressure level obtained from a probe microphone disposed within the ear tip; identify a discrepancy between the detected and target sound pressure levels of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal; and direct, based on the identified discrepancy, a remedial action to be performed to compensate for the discrepancy.

Systems and methods for calibrating sound delivery to a hearing system recipient

A diagnostic system is disclosed that is configured to direct an acoustic stimulation generator to apply acoustic stimulation having a stimulus frequency to a recipient of a cochlear implant during an insertion procedure in which an electrode lead communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant is inserted into a cochlea of the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to use an electrode disposed on the electrode lead to record an evoked response signal during the insertion procedure, the evoked response signal representing amplitudes of a plurality of evoked responses that occur within the recipient in response to the acoustic stimulation applied to the recipient, and incrementally step, as the electrode lead is inserted into the values starting with an initial value and ending with a final value lower than the initial value.

Systems for optimizing evoked response signal generation during an electrode lead insertion procedure

An exemplary system directs a display screen to display a graphical user interface that includes a selectable option to perform an electrode sweep with respect to a plurality of electrodes disposed on an electrode lead implanted at least partially within a cochlea of a recipient of a cochlear implant, detects a selection by a user of the option, directs, in response to the selection of the option, an acoustic stimulation generator to apply acoustic stimulation having a frequency to the recipient, directs the cochlear implant to use each electrode included in the plurality of electrodes to record an evoked response measurement in response to the acoustic stimulation, determines an amplitude of each of the evoked response measurements recorded by the plurality of electrodes, and presents, within the graphical user interface, a tuning curve that graphically indicates the amplitudes of the evoked response measurements.

Evoked response-based systems and methods for determining electrode positioning within a cochlea

An exemplary diagnostic system is configured to direct an acoustic stimulation generator to an acoustic stimulation generator to apply acoustic stimulation having a plurality of stimulus frequencies to a recipient of a cochlear implant during an insertion procedure in which an electrode lead communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant is inserted into a cochlea of the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to use an electrode disposed on the electrode lead to record a plurality of evoked response signals during the insertion procedure, each evoked response signal included in the plurality of evoked response signals corresponding to a different stimulus frequency included in the plurality of stimulus frequencies, and determine, based on an amplitude and a phase of each of one or more evoked response signals included in the plurality of evoked response signals, an insertion state of the electrode lead within the cochlea of the recipient.

Use of one or more evoked response signals to determine an insertion state of an electrode lead during an electrode lead insertion procedure

An illustrative system includes a stimulation device configured to apply stimulation to a recipient, a sensing device configured to detect a physiological condition of the recipient, and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the stimulation device and the sensing device. The processing unit determines a stimulation strategy that is customized to the recipient and includes stimulation frames and stimulation gaps. The processing unit then directs the stimulation device to apply the stimulation to the recipient in accordance with the stimulation strategy by applying the stimulation only during time that corresponds to the stimulation frames. The processing unit also directs the sensing device to detect the physiological condition of the recipient in accordance with the stimulation strategy by detecting only during time that corresponds to the stimulation gaps. Based on the detected physiological condition, the processing unit performs an action. Corresponding systems, methods, and apparatuses are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for monitoring and acting on a physiological condition of a stimulation system recipient

An illustrative system includes a sound processor configured to be worn by a patient and to direct a cochlear implant implanted within the patient to apply electrical stimulation to the patient; and a conductive contact configured to detect a signal representative of an evoked response generated by a brain of the patient, the conductive contact integrated with the sound processor so as to be located between the sound processor and an external surface of a head of the patient while the sound processor is worn by the patient.

Systems and methods for measuring evoked responses from a brain of a patient

An illustrative cochlear implant system includes an electrode lead having an array of electrodes, a cochlear implant coupled with the electrode lead and configured to be implanted within a recipient together with the electrode lead, and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant. The processing unit is configured to direct the cochlear implant to apply stimulation to the recipient by way of the array of electrodes. The processing unit is further configured to detect, by way of one or more electrodes included in the array of electrodes, a cortical potential produced by the recipient. Based on the detected cortical potential, the processing unit is configured to determine a fitting parameter associated with the cochlear implant system. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for fitting a hearing system to a recipient based on cortical potentials of the recipient

An illustrative system includes a coil configured to be positioned over a wound on a body and held in place on the body by a magnet implanted within the body; and a controller communicatively coupled to the coil, the controller configured to apply therapeutic electromagnetic pulses by way of the coil to the wound. Other systems and methods for providing therapeutic electromagnetic pulses to a recipient are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for providing electromagnetic therapy to an implantable device recipient

An illustrative scalar translocation detection system directs a loudspeaker to apply acoustic stimulation to a cochlear implant patient while an electrode lead is inserted into a cochlea of the cochlear implant patient. The system detects a first evoked response to the acoustic stimulation while an electrode is positioned at a first location in the cochlea and detects a second evoked response to the acoustic stimulation while the electrode is positioned at a second location in the cochlea. Then, based on at least one of an amplitude change or a phase change between the first and second evoked responses, the system determines that a scalar translocation of the electrode lead from one scala of the cochlea to another scala of the cochlea has occurred. Based on this determination, the system also notifies a user that the scalar translocation has occurred. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Scalar translocation detection for an electrode lead of a cochlear implant system

A medical system for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment includes therapy delivery circuitry configured to output one or more electrical stimulation signals to a tongue of a patient; sensing circuitry configured to sense one or more compound muscle action potential (CMAP) signals, wherein the one or more CMAP signals are generated in response to the delivery of the one or more electrical stimulation signals; and processing circuitry configured to: cause the therapy delivery circuitry to output the one or more electrical stimulation signals to the tongue; receive information indicative of the one or more CMAP signals from the sensing circuitry; determine, based on the one or more CMAP signals, one or more therapeutic stimulation parameters for the OSA treatment; and cause the therapy delivery circuitry to deliver therapeutic electrical stimulation signals according to at least the determined one or more therapeutic stimulation parameters.

Stimulation therapy for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on compound muscle action potential (CMAP)

An illustrative sound calibration system is configured to direct a loudspeaker to present a sound to a recipient by way of a length of tubing extending from the loudspeaker to an ear tip disposed at an ear canal of the recipient. The directing is configured to cause the sound to have a target sound pressure level at the ear canal. The system is further configured to obtain, from a probe microphone disposed within the ear tip, a detected sound pressure level of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal. The system is further configured to identify a discrepancy between the detected and target sound pressure levels of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal, and, based on the identified discrepancy, to direct a remedial action to be performed to compensate for the discrepancy. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

A diagnostic system for use during a procedure associated with a cochlear implant includes a computing module and a base module configured to attach to a back side of the computing module and serve as a stand for the computing module. The computing module includes a display screen and a processor configured to execute a diagnostic application and direct the display screen to display a graphical user interface associated with the diagnostic application. The base module includes an interface unit configured to be communicatively coupled to the processor and to the cochlear implant while the base module is attached to the back side of the computing module.

Diagnostic systems and methods for use during a procedure associated with a cochlear implant

An illustrative system includes a cochlear implant, a lead configured to be inserted into a cochlea of a patient by way of an insertion procedure, a plurality of electrodes disposed on the lead and including an intracochlear electrode and an extracochlear electrode, a probe coupled to the extracochlear electrode, and a processor communicatively coupled with the probe and the cochlear implant. During the insertion procedure, the processor directs the cochlear implant to short the intracochlear and extracochlear electrodes, then detects, by way of the probe and the shorted intracochlear and extracochlear electrodes, evoked responses measured at the intracochlear electrode. The evoked responses include a first evoked response measured at a first insertion depth and a second evoked response measured at a second insertion depth. The processor generates, based on the first and second evoked responses, a notification indicating that cochlear trauma has likely occurred at the second insertion depth.

Systems and methods for intra-surgical monitoring of cochlear trauma during an electrode lead insertion procedure

An illustrative proximity detection system directs a first electrode of an electrode lead to apply a first pulse and directs a second electrode of the electrode lead to apply a second pulse concurrently with the first pulse so as to form a dipole that generates a field. The first and second electrodes are each configured as stimulating electrodes that apply stimulation to the cochlear tissue when the electrode lead is located at a resting position subsequent to a surgical insertion of the electrode lead into a cochlea of a patient. After the pulses are applied, and based on an energy magnitude of the field that is detected to reflect from cochlear tissue located within the field, the proximity detection system determines a proximity of the electrode lead to the cochlear tissue. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for detecting electrode lead proximity to cochlear tissue

An illustrative system includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processor configured to be worn by a patient behind an ear of the patient. The BTE sound processor is configured to direct a cochlear implant implanted within the patient to apply electrical stimulation to the patient. The system further includes a conductive contact configured to detect a signal representative of an evoked response generated by a brain of the patient. The conductive contact is integrated with the BTE sound processor so as to be located between the BTE sound processor and an external surface of a head of the patient while the BTE sound processor is worn by the patient behind the ear of the patient. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Valencia, CA, United States of America

Kanthaiah Koka