APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERIMODIOLAR COCHLEAR IMPLANT WITH RETRO-POSITIONING

摘要

An implantable cochlear electrode array includes anelectrode carrier, a groove within the electrode carrier, anda flexible element located in the groove. After the electrodearray is implanted, the flexible element may be held in placewhile the electrode carrier may be partially withdrawn sothat the electrode carrier pulls away from the flexible elementwhich emerges from the groove through the surface of theelectrode carrier, except where the electrode carrier and theflexible element are attached, so that the electrode carrierwraps around an inner scala tympani wall. A portion of theapical end of the electrode carrier may extend beyond theends of the groove and the flexible element so that the apicalend of the electrode carrier does not wrap around the innerscala tympani wall when the electrode carrier is partiallywithdrawn after insertion in the cochlea. The electrodecarrier may include a perimodiolar section to be positionednext to an inner scala tympani wall of the cochlea, and anouter wall section to be positioned next to an outer scala tympani wall of thecochlea. Theperimodiolar section may be shorter than theouter wall section to accommodate the real length difference between the innerand outer walls of the scala tympani of a cochlea. Preferredembodiments are also directed to a method of fabricating such a cochlearelectrode array by negative casting, and to a method of implantingsuch a cochlear electrode array.