| Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing loss -> Monitor Keywords |
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  Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing lossRelated Patent Categories: Surgery: Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Electrical Therapeutic Systems, Pulse Signal, Bipolar PulsesThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060136017. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/287,989 filed Nov. 5, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] As many as seven million Americans suffer from a form of hearing loss known as strial presbycusis, which is marked by a loss of hearing in all registers and, as the name indicates, is associated with the aging process. In a healthy ear there is a voltage difference across the basilar membrane, the organ that hosts the hair cells. This voltage difference, referred to as "endocochlear potential," causes current to flow through the hair cells. Sound waves cause the hair cells to bend, thereby changing their electrical conductivity and the amount of current that flows through them. This process results in the electrical nerve impulses that are sent to the brain by the auditory nerve. [0004] It appears that the most frequent immediate cause of strial presbycusis is the deterioration of the stria vascularis, a structure that extends along the basilar membrane and produces the ions that create the endocochlear potential. The loss of endocochlear potential appears to result in both an immediate decline in hearing acuity and a gradual deterioration of the structure of the scala media. One potential method of restoring the enodocochlear potential is to inject additional charge by means of an electrode. This is difficult, however, because it requires the production of a DC current within the body. The body's interstitial tissues tend to foul and eventually destroy any implanted electrode producing a DC current. Further, metal electrodes either dissolve or become plated with new material when they are driven with DC currents. Because of this, existing therapeutic devices which produce electrical currents within the body, including pacemakers and neural stimulation systems, are driven by charge balanced, biphasic electrical pulses. SUMMARY [0005] The present invention is an electrolytic current injection device comprising an electrode and an electrolytic current port. In addition a control and rectification assembly is adapted to apply a biphasic pulse to said electrode, yet produce a pulsatile, unidirectional DC electrolytic current at said electrolytic current port. [0006] The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an implantable charge injection assembly and driver, according to the present invention, shown implanted in the skull. [0008] FIG. 2 is an illustration of the implantable charge injection assembly and driver of FIG. 1, shown in relation to the structure of the inner ear. [0009] FIG. 3 is an illustration of the implantable charge injection assembly of FIG. 1, shown in greater detail. [0010] FIG. 4 is a greatly expanded illustration of an electrostatically actuated micro machined gate, in its closed state, as utilized in the present invention. [0011] FIG. 5 is a greatly expanded illustration of an electrostatically actuated micro machined gate in its open state, as utilized in the present invention. [0012] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, which includes membranes that controllably and selectively permit the passage of electrolytes. [0013] FIG. 7 is an illustration of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, which uses pressure actuated MEMS switches. [0014] FIG. 8 is an illustration of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, which has a rotatable electrode. [0015] FIG. 9 is an illustration of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, which has two charge injection units. [0016] FIG. 10 is an illustration of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, which has two charge injection units, but having a different construction from that of FIG. 9. [0017] FIG. 11 is a timing diagram for the assembly of FIG. 9, but that would apply equally as well (with analogous labeling) to the embodiment of FIG. 10, and the embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13. [0018] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, showing the assembly in a first state. [0019] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an additional alternative embodiment of an implantable charge injection assembly, showing the assembly in a second state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an implantable charge injection assembly 10 according to the present invention, is designed to be implanted in the human skull. A charge injection unit 12 will be placed so that it contacts the scala media of the subject. In one preferred embodiment, the structure of charge injection unit 12 includes an electrolytic fluid-filled liquid crystal polymer (LCP) housing 18 (FIG. 3). The electrolytic fluid is an aqueous solution of .sub.--0.17_M KCl to match the potassium concentration of human scala media tissue. Referring to FIG. 3, a primary electrode 20 located in the housing 18 is made of conductive metal plated with IrOx and has a surface area sufficient to sustain a positive current pulse >5 microamperes for >1 second, e.g., of 1.6.times.10.sup.9 .mu.m.sup.2. Injection unit 12 includes a tip 22 that contacts the scala media and has an interior area that is less than one hundred thousandth that of electrode 20, being between 100 .mu.m and 10,000 .mu.m. The length of the tip 22 is 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. Continue reading... Full patent description for Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing loss Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing loss patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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