Abstract: An exemplary scalar translocation detection system detects a first evoked response occurring in response to acoustic stimulation applied to a cochlear implant patient. The system detects the first evoked response by way of an electrode configuration disposed on an electrode lead while the electrode configuration is positioned at a first location along an insertion path of the electrode lead into a cochlea of the patient. The system further detects, by way of the electrode configuration while it is positioned at a second location along the insertion path, a second evoked response occurring in response to additional acoustic stimulation applied to the patient. The system further determines an amplitude change and/or a phase change between the first and second evoked responses, and then determines whether a scalar translocation of the electrode lead from one scala of the cochlea to another has occurred based on the amplitude change and/or the phase change.

Abstract: A cochlear implant headpiece, for use with a cochlear implant, including a housing, a diametrically magnetized headpiece magnet, defining an axis and a N-S direction, within the housing and rotatable about the axis, whereby the N-S direction of the headpiece magnet self-aligns with the gravitational direction when the axis is perpendicular to the gravitational direction, and a headpiece antenna associated with the housing.

Abstract: An integrated headpiece for a cochlear implant system includes a microphone for outputting an audio signal; signal processing electronics for processing the audio signal; and a transmitter for transmitting a processed audio signal received from the electronics to an implanted receiver. All of the microphone, signal processing electronics, and transmitter are disposed in a common housing of the integrated headpiece. The headpiece may also be one of a set of headpieces that can be alternatively used as needed to suit power consumption requirements or environmental conditions. Cochlear implant systems include a circuit board having electronic circuitry configured to generate one or more signals configured to direct electrical stimulation of one or more stimulation sites within a patient, an induction coil configured to transmit a telemetry signal by generating a telemetry magnetic field, and a telemetry flux guide positioned between the induction coil and the circuit board.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a coil configured to be positioned over a wound on a body and held in place on the body by a magnet implanted within the body. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the coil and configured to apply therapeutic electromagnetic pulses by way of the coil to the wound. Other systems and methods for providing therapeutic electromagnetic pulses to a recipient are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cochlear implant includes a cochlear lead, a housing, an antenna, a stimulation processor operably connected to the antenna and to the cochlear lead, a first fixation element, a second fixation element with a different configuration than the first fixation element, and a connector configured to simultaneously connect the first and second fixation elements to the housing in such a manner that the first and second fixation elements are independently detachable from the housing.

Abstract: A system includes a unit for capturing ECAP signals induced at electrodes of an electrode array in response to stimulation of a cochlea by applying auditory nerve stimulation signals to the electrodes; a memory unit for storing the captured ECAP signals and/or ECAP data derived from the captured ECAP signals; an electrode migration detection unit for detecting electrode migration relative to the cochlea by comparing presently captured ECAP signals and/or ECAP data derived from such presently captured ECAP signals to stored previously captured ECAP signals and/or ECAP data derived from such previously captured ECAP signals; and a unit for outputting an alarm signal in case that electrode migration is detected by the electrode migration detection unit.

Abstract: There is provided a fitting device configured to be communicatively connected to first stimulation device comprising an implantable electric stimulation device including a plurality of stimulation channels for electrical stimulation of a patient's ipsilateral ear at various stimulation sites according to a electrical stimulation signal and a second stimulation device selected from the group consisting of a device for acoustic stimulation of the patient's ipsilateral ear and a device for acoustic stimulation of the patient's contralateral ear according to an acoustic stimulation signal for adjusting the first stimulation device and the second stimulation device.

Abstract: A headpiece including a housing, a headpiece magnet carried by the housing, and a headpiece antenna carried by the housing.

Abstract: A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a stimulation processor, and a magnet apparatus, associated with the antenna, including a case defining a central axis, a magnet frame within the case and rotatable about the central axis of the case, and a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the magnets defining a longitudinal axis and a N-S direction and being freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame.

Abstract: A method that may include the steps of positioning a contact assembly, including a plurality of electrically conductive contacts that are respectively connected to a plurality of lead wires, on a shell formed from a first resilient material to form an electrode array sub-assembly, positioning the electrode array subassembly in a cochlear implant electrode array mold, and introducing a second resilient material into the mold to form a cochlear implant electrode array flexible body, on which the contacts are located, that is defined by the first and second flexible materials.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system for use by a recipient includes a microphone assembly and an off-the-ear (OTE) sound processor communicatively coupled with the microphone assembly. The microphone assembly includes a microphone configured to capture an audio signal representative of sound presented to the recipient, and a retention device configured to hold the microphone in place near an entrance to an ear canal of an ear of the recipient. The OTE sound processor includes a housing configured to be worn on a head of the recipient at a location that is off the ear of the recipient, and electronic circuitry included within the housing. The electronic circuitry is configured to generate stimulation parameters that, when transmitted to a cochlear implant implanted within the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of the captured audio signal to the recipient. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary electrode locating system performs an excitation spread measurement by directing a first electrode to generate an electrical pulse and, in response to the generation of the electrical pulse, detecting a voltage between a second electrode and a reference that are both distinct from the first electrode. The first and second electrodes are included in a plurality of electrodes disposed on an electrode lead included within a cochlear implant system and that comprises a proximal portion configured to be coupled with a cochlear implant and a distal portion configured to be inserted into a cochlea of a patient by way of an insertion procedure. Based on the excitation spread measurement, the electrode locating system determines whether at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is located within the cochlea. Corresponding methods are also described.

Abstract: A method of forming an electrode array from an electrode array blank that includes a flexible body and a plurality of electrically conductive contacts. The method includes the steps of forming a first window in the flexible body that extends through the exterior of the flexible body to a first one of the electrically conductive contacts, the first window defining a first window perimetric center, and forming a second window in the flexible body that extends through the exterior of the flexible body to a second one of the electrically conductive contacts, the second window defining a second window perimetric center that is perimetrically offset from the first window perimetric center when the flexible body is straight and not twisted around the longitudinal axis of the flexible body.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor is configured to maintain data representative of a frequency allocation table that maps frequencies in an upper region of an audible frequency range to a plurality of electrodes located within a cochlea of the first ear, receive an audio signal, direct a cochlear implant to apply standard electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within the upper region to the cochlea of the first ear by way of the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the frequency allocation table, and direct the cochlear implant to apply phantom electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within a lower region of the audible frequency range to the cochlea of the first ear by way of a most apical electrode and one or more compensating electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes in accordance with a phantom electrode stimulation configuration.

Abstract: An exemplary stiffening member facilitates insertion of an electrode lead into a cochlea of a patient. The stiffening member includes an elongate body configured to integrate with the electrode lead so as to maintain the electrode lead in a substantially linear configuration in an absence of a flexure force on the body. The stiffening member further includes compression slots distributed along a first side of the body closer to the electrodes than a second side while the body is integrated with the electrode lead. The compression slots are configured to compress, in a presence of the flexure force, so as to bias the body to flex in an inward direction. Additionally, the stiffening member includes strain relief slots distributed along the second side of the body and configured to expand so as to complement the compression slots in biasing the body to flex in the inward direction.

Abstract: A stapedius reflex threshold determination system directs a cochlear implant and a loudspeaker to apply a first electro-acoustic stimulation event to a patient, and determines that a first evoked response that occurs within the patient in response to the first electro-acoustic stimulation event has a level within a predetermined threshold amount of a baseline evoked response level. Based on that determination, the system detects that a stapedius reflex within the patient is not triggered. The system also directs the cochlear implant and the loudspeaker to apply a second electro-acoustic stimulation event to the patient, and determines that a second evoked response that occurs within the patient in response to the second electro-acoustic stimulation event has a level at least the predetermined threshold amount lower than the baseline evoked response level. Based on this determination, the system detects that the stapedius reflex within the patient is triggered.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor within a cochlear implant system directs a cochlear implant to concurrently apply first and second pulses by way of first and second electrodes disposed on an electrode lead configured to be inserted into a cochlea of a patient. The first and second pulses have substantially equal magnitudes and opposite phases such that the application of the first and second pulses forms a dipole that generates a field. The sound processor further directs the cochlear implant to detect, by way of a third electrode disposed on the electrode lead, an energy magnitude of the field that reflects from cochlear tissue located within the field. Based on a difference between the detected energy magnitude of the field and a baseline energy magnitude of the field, the sound processor determines a proximity of the electrode lead to the cochlear tissue. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a stimulation processor, and a magnet apparatus, associated with the antenna, including a case and a magnet assembly, having a spine and at least one magnet that is secured to the spine, that is located within the case and is rotatable relative to the case.

Abstract: An exemplary monitoring system 1) monitors evoked responses that occur in response to acoustic stimulation during an insertion procedure in which a lead that is communicatively coupled to a cochlear implant is inserted into a cochlea of a patient, the monitoring comprising using an intracochlear electrode disposed on the lead to measure a first and a second evoked response at a first and a second insertion depth within the cochlea, the second insertion depth nearer to an apex of the cochlea than the first insertion depth, 2) determines that a change between the first evoked response measured at the first insertion depth and the second evoked response measured at the second insertion depth is greater than a predetermined threshold, and 3) determines, based on the determination that the change is greater than the predetermined threshold, that cochlear trauma has likely occurred at the second insertion depth.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system includes: an electrode array implanted within a cochlea; an internal processor in communication with the electrode array; an implanted antenna which is electrically coupled to the internal processor; and a modular external headpiece which is removably positioned over the implanted antenna, the modular external headpiece including a core containing a sound processor for processing sound and providing a corresponding signal to the implanted antenna; and a modular component configured to releasably engage the core and supply electrical power to the core.