Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh

Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology Gmbh

Michael Santek

Geoffrey R Ball

Thomas Lenarz

Thomas Lechleitner

An implantable bone conduction transducer arrangement includes a transducer housing having an outer surface with a side wall and opposing ends. A pair of fixation projections are connected to the transducer housing at one end. Each fixation projection includes a bone screw opening configured for insertion of a bone fixation screw to engage underlying skull bone. At least one fixation projection is configured to be independently moveable relative to the transducer housing to form an adjustable relative position between the fixation projections.

Variable transducer fixation

An implantable bone conduction transducer has a center rotational axis radially surrounded by an outer surface, and at least one radial projection projecting radially outward from the outer surface. An implantable transducer receptacle has a receptacle outer surface configured to fit into a receptacle recess in skull bone of a recipient patient, a receptacle inner surface configured to fit around the outer surface of the transducer, and at least one projection bracket projecting radially inward away from the receptacle inner surface. The at least one projection bracket and the at least one radial projection are configured to cooperate so that rotation of the transducer around the center rotational axis creates increased lateral force between the transducer and the skull bone surrounding the receptacle recess so as to securely engage the transducer with the skull bone.

Fixation of a bone conduction floating mass transducer

A middle ear prosthesis coupling member is described that includes a transducer coupling element adapted for coupling to a mechanical signal transducer, and an ossicle fastener coupled to the transducer coupling element and adapted for secure attachment to the short process of the incus ossicle of a patient middle ear. The ossicle fastener includes parallel separated first and second fastener clips. Each fastener clip has two opposing bendable legs adapted for forming an interior region for receiving the short process of the incus ossicle and a relieved opening between opposing leg ends displaceably providing access for the incus ossicle to the interior region. The fastener clips securely enclose the short process of the incus ossicle within the interior region. The first fastener clip is adapted for exerting a force to pull the ossicle fastener toward the short process of the incus ossicle. The second fastener clip is adapted for holding the ossicle fastener in place over lateral movement on the short process of the incus ossicle only and without substantially exerting a force to pull the ossicle fastener toward the short process of the incus ossicle.

Incus short process attachment for implantable float transducer

An implantable transducer converts an electrical stimulation signal into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal. The transducer has an elongated shape with a transducer end face having a transducer drive surface adapted to produce the mechanical stimulation signal, and a transducer adhesive feature adapted to intra-operatively receive adhesive material. A separate coupling cap has a coupling end face with a coupling adhesive feature adapted to engage the transducer adhesive feature with the adhesive material and a coupling drive surface adapted for distortion-free coupling of the mechanical stimulation signal from the transducer drive surface to the coupling cap. A signal delivery surface of the coupling cap delivers the mechanical stimulation signal to an adjacent cochlear surface for sensation as sound.

Middle ear transducer with biocompatible implantable adhesive pad

A middle ear implant arrangement is described which includes an implantable electromechanical transducer with an inner end and an outer end, for converting an input electrical stimulation signal into a corresponding output mechanical stimulation signal. A cochlear engagement member at the inner end of the transducer has a cochlear engagement surface for coupling the mechanical stimulation signal to an outer cochlear surface of a recipient patient. A transducer loading structure has: i. an inner end adapted to releasably engage the transducer, ii. an outer end elongated along a central end axis for engaging a fixed anatomical structure within the middle ear of the recipient patient, and iii. a center spring structure connecting the inner end and the outer end and adapted to expand along a central spring axis to develop a spring force between the fixed anatomical structure and the outer end of the transducer.

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Innsbruck, Austria

Michael Santek