Implantable Magnet Arrangements

Abstract

Presented herein are separable magnet arrangements for use with encapsulated implantable components. A separable magnet arrangement includes an implantable magnet is at least one of fully encapsulated in, and mechanically severable from, an overmolding of the encapsulated implantable component or an implantable magnet that is physically separate from the encapsulated implantable component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable medical device system for implantation into a recipient, comprising:
 an encapsulated implantable component including an implant body and an internal coil that are both enclosed in a biocompatible overmolding;   an aperture in the overmolding located proximate to the internal coil; and   an independent separable magnet arrangement that is configured to be secured to the recipient within the aperture independently from the encapsulated implantable component.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 1 , wherein the independent separable magnet arrangement includes a bone fixture that comprises:
 a threaded body configured to be inserted into a recipient's bone via the aperture;   a coupling section attached to the threaded body; and   an implantable magnet positioned in the coupling section.   
     
     
         3 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 2 , wherein the implantable magnet is configured to be magnetically attached to the coupling section to facilitate removal therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 2 , wherein the coupling section includes a threaded connector configured to mate with a threaded connector attached to the threaded body. 
     
     
         5 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 2 , wherein the independent separable magnet arrangement is configured to be positioned in the aperture to provide an interference fit with the encapsulated implantable component. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 5 , wherein the independent separable magnet arrangement comprises:
 an overmolding fully encapsulating the coupling section, wherein the overmolding fully encapsulating the coupling section has an outside diameter that is larger than an a diameter of the aperture such that the overmolding is laterally compressed when inserted into the aperture to create the interference fit.   
     
     
         7 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 5 , wherein the coupling section has a first outside dimension that is larger than a diameter of the aperture and a circumferential channel with an interior dimension that is approximately the same as the diameter of the aperture such that, when the coupling section is located in the aperture, a portion of the overmolding surrounding the aperture and the circumferential channel mate with one another to create interference fit between the circumferential channel and the portion of the overmolding surrounding the aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 5 , wherein the coupling section comprises:
 a first portion having an outside dimension that is larger than a diameter of the aperture, and   an second portion having an exterior dimension that is smaller than the outside dimension of the first portion and that is larger than the diameter of the aperture such that, when the coupling section is located in the aperture, a portion of the overmolding surrounding the aperture is seated around the second portion so as to create the interference fit between the portion of the overmolding surrounding the aperture and the second portion.   
     
     
         9 . An implantable medical device system, comprising:
 an encapsulated implantable component comprising an implant body and an internal coil that are both enclosed in a biocompatible overmolding; and   an integrated separable magnet arrangement located proximate to the internal coil and comprising:
 an implantable magnet, 
 an overmolding portion encapsulating the implantable magnet, and 
 a removal mechanism at least partially surrounding the overmolding portion and configured to enable physical separation of the integrated separable magnet arrangement from a remainder of the encapsulated implantable component. 
   
     
     
         10 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 9 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises:
 one or more channels located at a proximal surface of the overmolding at a location between the implantable magnet and the internal coil.   
     
     
         11 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 9 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises:
 a plurality of channels disposed at one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the overmolding at a location between the implantable magnet and the internal coil such that the portion of the overmolding fully encapsulating the implantable magnet is connected to the remainder of the encapsulated implantable component via a thinned section of the overmolding.   
     
     
         12 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 9 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises:
 a region of the overmolding that is formed from at least one of a different material or a different grade of material having mechanical properties that are different from a remainder of the overmolding.   
     
     
         13 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 12 , wherein the region of the overmolding that is formed from at least one of a different material or a different grade of material having mechanical properties that are different from the remainder of the overmolding comprises:
 a region formed from a bioresorable material, wherein the remainder of the overmolding is formed from a non-bioresorable material.   
     
     
         14 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 12 , wherein the region of the overmolding that is formed from at least one of a different material or a different grade of material having mechanical properties that are different from the remainder of the overmolding includes:
 one or more channels located at a surface of the overmolding.   
     
     
         15 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 9 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises:
 one or more markings indicating a location at which a surgeon should detach the integrated separable magnet arrangement from the remainder of the encapsulated implantable component.   
     
     
         16 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 9 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises:
 a plurality of discrete spokes that connect the portion of the overmolding fully encapsulating the implantable magnet to a remainder of the overmolding.   
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 positioning, in a recipient, an encapsulated implantable component comprising an overmolding and an integrated separable magnet arrangement;   physically separating the integrated separable magnet arrangement from a remainder of the encapsulated implantable component to form an aperture in the overmolding; and   removing the integrated separable magnet arrangement from the recipient.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the integrated separable magnet arrangement includes an overmolding portion fully encapsulating the implantable magnet and a removal mechanism substantially surrounding the overmolding portion, wherein the method comprises:
 physically separating the integrated separable magnet arrangement from the remainder of the encapsulated implantable component at the removal mechanism.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises a one or more channels located at a proximal surface of the overmolding. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises opposing plurality of channels each disposed at one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the overmolding such that the overmolding portion fully encapsulating the implantable magnet is connected to the remainder of the encapsulated implantable component via a thinned section of the overmolding. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises a region of the overmolding that is formed from at least one of a different material or a different grade of material having mechanical properties that are different from a remainder of the overmolding. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removal mechanism comprises a plurality of discrete spokes that connect the portion of the overmolding fully encapsulating the implantable magnet to a remainder of the overmolding, and wherein the method comprises:
 cutting each of the discrete spokes to physically separate the integrated separable magnet arrangement from a remainder of the encapsulated implantable component.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 positioning, in the aperture, an independent separable magnet arrangement that is configured to be secured to the recipient independently from the encapsulated implantable component.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the independent separable magnet arrangement comprises a bone fixture including a threaded body and a coupling section in which an implantable magnet is positioned, and wherein the method comprises:
 inserting the threaded body into a recipient's bone via the aperture.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 implanting in the recipient an interlocking separable magnet arrangement that comprises one or more mechanisms to mechanically interlock with the encapsulated implantable component.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the interlocking separable magnet arrangement comprises an implantable magnet configured to be positioned in the aperture, and wherein the encapsulated implantable component comprises one or more magnets configured to be magnetically coupled to the implantable magnet to retain the implantable magnet within the aperture. 
     
     
         27 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 10 , wherein the interlocking separable magnet arrangement comprises an implantable magnet and first and second extension arms extending from the implantable magnet, and wherein the method comprises:
 positioning the first and second extension arms around the encapsulated implantable component so as to mechanically engage an outer edge of a portion of the overmolding.