Cochlear Limited

Peter Schuller

Fysh Dadd

Jane Rapsey

Andy Ho

Peter Raymond Sibary

Nicholas Charles Kendall Pawsey

Shahram Manouchehri

Peter Gibson

Edmond D Capcelea

David Walker

Katherine Meagher

Carrie Newbold

Niki Eder

Grant Hill

Claudiu G Treaba

Martin Svehla

Christopher Robert Miller

Nicholas Charles Kendal Pawsey

A method of forming an electrode array is disclosed, the method comprising: forming an elongate comb structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally-spaced electrode contacts extending from and supported by a spine; electrically connecting each of a plurality of electrically conductive pathways to a respective one of the plurality of electrode contacts; placing the conductive pathways adjacent the contacts; placing silicone over the conductive pathways and contacts; curing the silicone so as to substantially retain the longitudinal spacing between neighboring contacts; and severing the spine from the plurality of electrode contacts.

Manufacturing an electrode array for a stimulating medical device

Implantable drug-doped component, e.g., a cochlear implant, including host material, a host-embedded drug, a sacrificial material integrated with the host. Sacrificial material facilitates release of drug from the component. Sacrificial material facilitates release through creation of voids in the host upon dissolution of sacrificial material upon contact with a solvent, e.g., perilymph fluid upon implant. Host can be polysiloxane, or silicone rubber. Drug can be anti-inflammatory, growth factor, antibody, anti-oxidant, antibiotic, corticosteroid. Sacrificial material can be: glucose monomer, sugar, cyclodextrin, dissolvable or resorbable at implant site, a salt, bioresorbable material, hyaluronic acid, polyurethane, polyester, polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid. Sacrificial material can be the host, and can facilitate release of drug through changing a property of sacrificial material, e.g., by exposing component to ethanol wash. For a cochlear implant, drug doped material can be applied to a non-stimulating surface of the electrode array, and can be a physical feature of stimulating medical device, e.g., soft tip, ridge, spine. For a cochlear implant the drug-doped material can excluded from the basal side of the most basal electrode contact.

Drug delivery using a sacrificial host

An implantable drug-delivery sleeve for an elongate component of an implantable medical device. The sleeve includes a tubular substrate having a lumen configured to receive the elongate component so as to allow relative displacement of the substrate and the elongate component, wherein the substrate is shaped so as to be retained stationary at a desired position along the elongate component, and a drug releasably carried by the substrate.

Drug-delivery accessory for an implantable medical device

An electrode lead for insertion into a patient's cochlea includes a substantially solid elongate carrier member having lateral and medial sides and opposing transverse surfaces extending between outer surfaces of the lateral and medial sides, wherein the carrier member has a thickness between outer surfaces of the lateral and medial sides, and a plurality of electrodes disposed on or in the medial side. A height of the lateral side between the transverse surfaces is generally greater than a height of the medial side between the transverse surfaces, wherein each of the heights is approximately perpendicular to the thickness.

Cochlear implant electrode lead having a cross-section with variable height

A method of forming a non-linear path of at least a portion of at least one electrically conducting wire extending between a first location and a second location. The method includes the steps of forming a wire path template defining a non-linear path, winding said wire through said template such that said wire adopts said non-linear path, connecting the wire to a feedthrough member, wherein the feedthrough member is configured to provide an electrical connection through a wall of an implantable component implantable in a recipient along with the wire, and removing the wire from the template.

Method of forming a non-linear path of an electrically conducting wire

There is disclosed a method of forming a patterned conductive element for an implantable medical device, the method comprising the steps of: depositing a supplementary material on a sheet of conductive, parent material to form a sheet of composite material; applying a carrier material over the supplementary material of the composite sheet to form a sheet of semi-finished material; removing portions from at least the conductive parent material of the sheet of semi-finished material in accordance with a desired pattern corresponding to a patterned conductive element to be formed; and releasing at least the carrier material from the sheet of semi-finished material.

Method of forming conductive elements

Coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a substantially continuous barrier layer. The substantially continuous barrier layer is formed through relative movement of the conductive element to a frame between sequential coatings of a barrier material.

Insulated conductive element having a substantially continuous barrier layer formed through multiple coatings

Coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a barrier layer to form an insulated conductive element. The insulated conductive element comprises substantially continuously coated elongate sections separated by uncoated gaps which are substantially small relative to the lengths of the coated sections.

Method of forming insulated conductive element having substantially continuously coated sections separated by uncoated gaps

Coating an elongate, uncoated conductive element with a substantially continuous barrier layer. An uncoated conductive element is around a frame comprising spaced supports. During deposition, the relative position of the conductive element to the frame is adjusted so that all sections of the conductive element are physically separated from the supports for a time that is sufficient to form a desired coating of barrier material on all sections of the conductive element.

Method of forming insulated conductive element having a substantially continuous barrier layer formed via relative motion during deposition

A method of forming and connecting an antenna to a feedthrough member of a housing. The method comprising a step of: positioning the feedthrough member and an antenna template relative to each other. A step of connecting the first portion of at least one electrically conducting wire to the feedthrough member. An additional step of winding the wire at least once around the antenna template, and a further step of connecting a second portion of each wire to said feedthrough member.

Implantable antenna

An electrically conducting lead () that can used in the body for electrical stimulations applications, such as a cochlear implant. The lead comprises a body of relatively electrically insulative material () having a relatively electrically conductive element () extending therethrough in a wound arrangement. The electrically conductive element () is comprised of a plurality of layers of electrical conductors (). The conductive element () is disposed in the lead such that the longitudinal extent of each of the electrical conductors () is the same.

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Turramurra, Australia

Peter Schuller