Multi-electrode cochlear implant and method of manufacturing the same

US5630839A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• PI Medical, Inc. · US
• University of Washington · US

Inventors

• Scott S. Corbett, III · Portland, US
• John W. Swanson · Portland, US
• Jerry Martyniuk · Portland, US
• Thomas R. Clary · Issaquah, US
• Francis A. Spelman · Seattle, US
• Ben Clopton · Bremerton, US
• Arne Voie · Seattle, US
• Claude Jolly · Innsbruck, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 18, 1995
• Grant date: May 20, 1997
• Expiry date: Aug 18, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2018/00107
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A multi-electrode cochlear implant is taught in which approximately twenty or more insulated metal wires are wound around a flexible tube. These wires are held in place with a further layer of dielectric insulating material. The insulation is selectively removed with a laser beam to form electrodes. Two or more layers or valences of wires can be used, with the inner layer of wires terminating distal to the outer layers to provide a stepwise approximation of the tapering of the scala tympani. A core of shape memory material may be introduced into the tube, so that the implant will retain an effective shape after implantation.