Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrode configured to be implanted on or within a recipient's body. The electrode includes a first portion having a surface configured to be in electrical communication with the recipients body and a second portion integral with the first portion and in mechanical and electrical communication with the first portion. The electrode further includes a plurality of pores extending from the surface of the first portion to the second portion such that the first portion has a substantially non-uniform porosity along a direction from the surface to the second portion.

Abstract: A method, including providing an electrical current to an electrode contact located in a cochlea of a human to evoke a hearing percept, and managing flow of perilymph located inside the cochlea locally to the electrode contact while the current is provided to the electrode contact. In an exemplary embodiment, the management is executed using a seal.

Abstract: A method, including providing an electrical current to an electrode contact located in a cochlea of a human to evoke a hearing percept, and managing flow of perilymph located inside the cochlea locally to the electrode contact while the current is provided to the electrode contact. In an exemplary embodiment, the management is executed using a seal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a container and a medical device configured to be implanted on or within the recipient's body. The medical device is contained within a sealed region of the container prior to implantation of the medical device. The medical device includes at least one housing containing circuitry and a plurality of signal ports spaced from the at least one housing. The plurality of signal ports is configured to be in communication with a portion of the recipient's body. The medical device further includes an elongate assembly extending from the at least one housing and configured to transmit signals between the circuitry and the plurality of signal ports. The assembly has at least one portion having a shape while the medical device is within the sealed region, the shape including at least one loop and/or a plurality of serpentine turns.

Abstract: An apparatus including an actuator and an electrode array support, wherein the apparatus is configured to insert an electrode array into a cochlea via controlled actuation of the actuator, wherein the controlled actuation is at least partially based on data that is at least partially based on electrical characteristics associated with the recipient.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to a therapeutic element assembly having a carrier configured to introduce one or more therapeutic elements into a recipient. A stabilizer is permanently embedded in and longitudinally extends through at least a first region of the carrier. The stabilizer is configured to decrease the flexibility of the carrier so as to resist deformation of said first region during implantation into the recipient. The stabilizer is formed from an elastomeric material.

Abstract: An apparatus including an actuator and an electrode array support, wherein the apparatus is configured to insert an electrode array into a cochlea via controlled actuation of the actuator, wherein the controlled actuation is at least partially based on data that is at least partially based on electrical characteristics associated with the recipient.

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.

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.

Abstract: A device, including an insertion tool including an insertion guide that is flexible in a direction lying in at least a plane lying on a longitudinal axis thereof, the insertion guide having a slit and/or a gap extending in the longitudinal direction, the plane extending through the slit and/or gap, wherein the guide configured to maintain a pre-curved electrode assembly in a substantially straight configuration while preventing the electrode assembly from twisting in response to stresses induced by bias forces which urge the assembly to return to its pre-curved configuration, when the insertion guide is flexed in the plane.

Abstract: An electrode array insertion tool, including an assembly configured to provide direct array insertion functionality and ancillary array insertion functionality to a user thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the tool includes an extra-cochlea bone conduction actuator system, and the ancillary array insertion functionality is output of vibrations directly to the cochlea by the system.

Abstract: A method, including sequentially activating a plurality of respective electrode pairs of an implanted cochlear implant, at least one of the electrodes of the respective electrode pairs being a respective electrode of an electrode array implanted in a cochlea, thereby generating respective localized electric fields, concurrently respectively measuring, for the plurality of activated respective electrode pairs, an electrical characteristic between the respective electrodes of the respective electrode pairs resulting from the respective localized electric fields, thereby obtaining a measurement set, determining, from the measurement set, a distance between the electrode array and a wall of the cochlea.

Abstract: A method, including providing an electrical current to an electrode contact located in a cochlea of a human to evoke a hearing percept, and managing flow of perilymph located inside the cochlea locally to the electrode contact while the current is provided to the electrode contact. In an exemplary embodiment, the management is executed using a seal.

Abstract: An apparatus including an actuator and an electrode array support, wherein the apparatus is configured to insert an electrode array into a cochlea via controlled actuation of the actuator, wherein the controlled actuation is at least partially based on data that is at least partially based on electrical characteristics associated with the recipient.

Abstract: An electrode array insertion tool, including an assembly configured to provide direct array insertion functionality and ancillary array insertion functionality to a user thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the tool includes an extra-cochlea bone conduction actuator system, and the ancillary array insertion functionality is output of vibrations directly to the cochlea by the system.

Abstract: An electrode array, including a plurality of electrodes, and an electrode carrier carrying the plurality of electrodes, wherein the electrode carrier is made of a viscoelastic material, such as by way of example, a viscoelastic silicone, wherein in some embodiments, the electrode carrier is devoid of non-viscoelastic silicone. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrode carrier is configured to recover to a curved, unrestrained and relaxed state, from a substantially straight state in no less than thirty seconds.

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.