US4535785A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for determining the viability and survival of sensori-neutral elements within the inner ear
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1982-09-23
•
Granted: 1985-08-20
•
Expires: 2002-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for diagnosing the extent of survival of the peripheral sensori-neural elements within the inner ear of a patient by stimulating the patient with one or more pair of electrical stimulus signals having a known amplitude and inter-signal delay, and by measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from these stimulus signals and comparing the activity which results from the second stimulus signal with the activity which results from the first stimulus signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher van den Honert
- 👤 Paul H. Stypulkowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:48
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/12; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/04; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of diagnosing the extent of survival of the peripheral sensori-neural elements with a patient, comprising the steps of: stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal and a second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delays then stimulating the inner ear of the patient with said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimsulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay; and comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signals with said first predetermined delay with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said second predetermined delay.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of diagnosing the extent of survival of the peripheral sensori-neural elements with a patient, comprising the steps of: stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal and a second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delays then stimulating the inner ear of the patient with said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimsulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay; and comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signals with said first predetermined delay with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said second predetermined delay.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The according to claim 1 wherein said stimulation of the inner ear with a first or a second electrical stimulus signal comprises implanting an active electrode adjacent to or within the inner ear of the patient, generating a constant current pulse having a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined duration, and conveying said constant current pulse to said active electrode thereby stimulating the inner ear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method according to claim 1 further comprising normalizing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from the second electrical stimulus signal by the electrical activity within the nervous system which results from the first electrical stimulus signal, and determining the normalized electrical activity which results from said second stimulus signal as a function of the inter signal delay.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 2 further comprising placing a return electrode in electrical contact with the skin of the patient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 2 further comprising implanting a return electrode adjacent to or within the inner ear but remote from the active electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said measuring of electrical activity with the nervous system comprises implanting a first electrode adjacent to or within the auditory nerve and placing a second electrode in electrical contact with the skin of the patient.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said predetermined delays are varied to occur on either side of the absolute refractory.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for determining the viability of peripheral sensori-neural elements within a cochlea of a patient, comprising: means for stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal and a second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; means for measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay; means for stimulating the inner ear of the patient with said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; means for measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay; and means for comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said first predetermined delay with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said second predetermined delay.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for determining the viability of peripheral sensori-neural elements within a cochlea of a patient, comprising: means for stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal and a second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; means for measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay; means for stimulating the inner ear of the patient with said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said first electrical stimulus signal; means for measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal and said second electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay; and means for comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said first predetermined delay with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first and second electrical stimulus signal with said second predetermined delay.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for stimulating the inner ear comprises a first electrode adapted to be implanted adjacent the round window of the patient's inner ear; means for generating a first electrical pulse having a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined duration; means for generating a second electrical pulse having a predetermined amplitude, a predetermined duration, and a predetermined delay with respect to the first electrical siganl; and means for conveying said electrical pulses to said first electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for measuring the electrical activity which occurs as a result of said electrical stimulus signals comprises a first electrode implanted adjacent to or within the auditory nerve and a second electrode placed in electrical contact with the skin of the patient.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising means for normalizing the electrical activity resulting from said second electrical signal by the electrical activity resulting from said first electrical signal, and means for determining the normalized electrical activity resulting from said second electrical signal as a function of the inter signal delay.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a second electrode adapted to be placed cutaneously on the patient.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a second electrode also adapted to be implanted adjacent the round window of the inner ear but remotely from said first electrode and coupled to said means for conveying.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said predetermined delays are varied to occur on either side of the absolute refractory.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
280 words
A method of diagnosing the extent of survival of the peripheral sensori-neural elements within a patient, comprising the steps of: stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal; stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a second electrical stimulus signal and a third electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said second electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second electrical stimulus signal and said third electrical stimulus signal; subtracting the measured electrical activity within the nervous system which results from said first electrical stimulus signal from the measured electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second and third electrical stimulus signals; stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a fourth electrical stimulus signal and a fifth electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said fourth electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said fourth electrical stimulus signal and said fifth electrical stimulus signal; subtracting the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal from the measured electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said fourth and fifth electrical stimulus signals; and comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient resulting from said first subtraction with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second subtraction.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
280 words
A method of diagnosing the extent of survival of the peripheral sensori-neural elements within a patient, comprising the steps of: stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a first electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal; stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a second electrical stimulus signal and a third electrical stimulus signal having a first predetermined delay with respect to said second electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second electrical stimulus signal and said third electrical stimulus signal; subtracting the measured electrical activity within the nervous system which results from said first electrical stimulus signal from the measured electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second and third electrical stimulus signals; stimulating the inner ear of the patient with a fourth electrical stimulus signal and a fifth electrical stimulus signal having a second predetermined delay with respect to said fourth electrical stimulus signal; measuring the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said fourth electrical stimulus signal and said fifth electrical stimulus signal; subtracting the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said first electrical stimulus signal from the measured electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said fourth and fifth electrical stimulus signals; and comparing the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient resulting from said first subtraction with the electrical activity within the nervous system of the patient which results from said second subtraction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3901215A
Cited
US3752939A
Cited
US3893450A
Cited
FR2299004A1
Cited
US4305400A
Cited
US4303073A
Cited
US4421122A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-08-19 | 1989-02-18 | 1989-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-08-19 | 1993-02-18 | 1993-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-08-19 | 1997-02-18 | 1997-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |