Electromagnetic implantable hearing device for improvement of partial and total sensoryneural hearing loss

摘要

A partially implantable hearing device for improvement of partial and total hearing loss has a high coercivity post type permanent target magnet mounted to the ossicular chain by METABOND adhesive and being driven by a cylidrically shaped air core driving coil extending around the post magnet in a contactless manner. The drive coil responds to auditory vibrations sensed by an externally concealed unit which converts these signals to an electrical signal transmitted to an externally located antenna which transmits same to an internally mounted antenna electronically connected to the air core electromagnetic driving coil to improve partial hearing loss. For total hearing loss restoration, a speech processing unit is mounted inside the mastoid cavity having a intracochlear electrode which is inserted into the cochlea through the oval window to reach the nerve endings thereof and transmit speech signals capable of being understood by the brain. For total hearing loss a totally implantable system with a non rechargeable or rechargeable battery, receiving antenna for remote control of on/off switch, volume, speech processor and programing is used with a biologic-electronic microphone activated by the implanted rechargeable battery to interact with implanted electronics for transmission of electrical signal directly to the cochlear nerve endings.