Implantable stimulating assembly

Abstract

An elongate stimulation assembly of an implantable stimulation device, including an intra-cochlear portion including an array of electrodes, and an extra-cochlear portion extending from the intra-cochlear portion, wherein the extra-cochlear portion includes a plurality of electrical lead wires in electrical communication with the array of electrodes and a malleable component extending in an elongate manner such that the malleable component is located further away from a longitudinal axis of the extra-cochlear portion than at least one of the electrical leads of the plurality of electrical leads.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A device, comprising:
 a stimulating assembly of an implantable stimulating device, including a lead assembly made at least partially of material having elasticity, wherein   the device is configured to resist movement of at least a portion of the lead assembly, the movement of the lead assembly due to the elasticity.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the device is configured to resist the movement of the at least a portion of the lead assembly due to the elasticity via a structure co-located with the lead assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the device is configured to resist the movement of the at least a portion of the lead assembly due to the elasticity via a structure co-located with the lead assembly, wherein the structure is configured to deform upon the application of sufficient force, which force is greater than a force applied to the structure via the elasticity, thereby moving the lead assembly along with the deformation.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a receiver/stimulator of a cochlear implant connected to the lead assembly at a first location of the lead assembly, wherein   the device includes a first structural component and a second structural component separate from the first structural component, wherein the first structural component is located proximate the receiver/stimulator, and the second structural component is located remote from the first structural component,   the first structural component is configured to resist movement of at least a first portion of the lead apparatus proximate the first structural component, the movement of the first portion due to the elasticity, and   the second structural component is configured to resist movement of at least a second portion of the lead apparatus proximate the second structural component, the movement of the second portion due to the elasticity.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the lead assembly includes a third portion unrestrained from movement due to elasticity of the third portion, the third portion being located between the first portion and the second portion.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an electrode array located at a second location of the lead assembly, wherein the second location, relative to the lead assembly, is located opposite to the first location.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the device is configured to prevent the movement of the at least a portion of the lead assembly due to the elasticity via a structure co-located with the lead assembly, wherein the structure is a tube extending about the lead apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An elongate stimulation assembly of an implantable stimulation device, comprising:
 an intra-cochlear portion including an array of electrodes; and   an extra-cochlear portion extending from the intra-cochlear portion, wherein   a malleable component extending from the extra-cochlear portion to the intra-cochlear portion such that the extra-cochlear portion and the intra-cochlear portion also include respective portions of the malleable component.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second malleable component that is separate from the malleable component that is included as part of the intra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the second malleable component is longitudinally spaced away from the malleable component that extends to the intra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the portion of the malleable component that is a part of the intra-cochlear portion extends less than 80% of a length of the intra-cochlear portion; and   the portion of the malleable component that is part of the extra-cochlear portion extends less than 80% of the length of the extra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the portion of the malleable component that is a part of the intra-cochlear portion extends less than ⅔rds of a length of the intra-cochlear portion; and   the portion of the malleable component that is part of the extra-cochlear portion extends less than ⅓rd of the length of the extra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the array of electrodes includes at least 10 electrodes arrayed along a longitudinal direction of the intra-cochlear portion; and   the malleable component extends from the extra-cochlear portion into the intra-cochlear portion such that the malleable component extends past at least 5 of the electrodes of the electrode array.   
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a stiffness of the portion of the malleable component that is part of the intra-cochlear portion is different than a stiffness of the portion of the malleable component that is part of the extra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         25 . A stimulation assembly of a cochlear implant, comprising:
 a straight electrode array including an intra-cochlear portion including an array of electrodes and an extra-cochlear portion;   a removable stiffener located in the straight electrode array, the removable stiffener extending from the extra cochlear portion to a location proximate a tip of the intra-cochlear portion.   
     
     
         26 . The stimulation assembly of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the removable stiffener is a removable stylet.   
     
     
         27 . The stimulation assembly of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the removable stiffener is an elastic component.   
     
     
         28 . The stimulation assembly of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the stiffener is made from Nitenol.   
     
     
         29 . A method, comprising:
 inserting at least a portion of the straight electrode array of  claim 25  into a cochlea;   removing at least a portion of the removable stiffener from the straight electrode array after at least a portion of that removed portion is inserted into the cochlea;   reinserting at least a portion of the removed portion of the removable stiffener into the straight electrode array.   
     
     
         30 . A method, comprising:
 inserting at least a portion of the straight electrode array of  claim 25  into a cochlea;   completely removing the removable stiffener from the straight electrode array after at least a portion of the straight electrode array is inserted into the cochlea;   reinserting the removable stiffener into the straight electrode array.