Cochlear implant drug delivery device

Abstract

Devices for the delivery of a bioactive substance to a cochlea and methods of delivery thereof. The devices include means to allow the release of the bioactive substance within a cochlea.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . An implantable electrode array assembly configured to stimulate tissue of a recipient, comprising:
 an elongate assembly configured to be inserted into a recipient, the elongate assembly including at least one electrode,   wherein at least a portion of the elongate assembly contains a bio-active substance.   
     
     
         52 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 one or more portions of the elongate assembly are formed of a porous material.   
     
     
         53 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the elongate assembly includes one or more members impregnated with the bio-active substance.   
     
     
         54 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 53 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more members impregnated with the bio-active substance is located on an outer face of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         55 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the elongate assembly includes a portion formed from a bio-compatible polymeric material, wherein the elongated assembly is configured such that the bio-active substance diffuses from the bio-compatible polymeric material following implantation into the recipient.   
     
     
         56 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 an elongate member, wherein the bio-compatible polymeric material is at least partially encapsulated within the elongate member.   
     
     
         57 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 55 , wherein:
 the bio-compatible polymeric material is located at or approximately at the surface of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         58 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the elongate assembly includes one or more openings which at least partially expose the bio-active substance to an ambient environment of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         59 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the bio-active substance is located in a portion of the electrode array assembly having an outer surface that is substantially flush with the outer profile surface of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         60 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the bio-active substance is located in a portion of the electrode array assembly having an outer surface that is recessed relative to the outer profile surface of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         61 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the bio-active substance is contained in one or more portions of the elongate assembly, the one or more portions of the elongate assembly containing the bio-active substance collectively extending for a majority of the length of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         62 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance has a diameters that are taken at locations along a longitudinal direction of extension of the elongate assembly that are constant.   
     
     
         63 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 a ratio of a cross-sectional area of the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance when taken normal to a longitudinal direction of the elongate assembly to a cross-sectional area encompassing an outer profile of the elongate assembly is about constant when the cross-sections are taken at locations along the longitudinal direction of extension of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         64 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the elongate assembly includes an elongate member formed from a material consisting essentially of silicone; and   the portion containing the bio-active substance is formed from polymeric material.   
     
     
         65 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion containing the bio-active substance is comprised of a biodegradable material.   
     
     
         66 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion containing the bio-active substance is separate from the at least one electrode.   
     
     
         67 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion containing the bio-active substance includes a porous portion having the bio-active substance disposed therein.   
     
     
         68 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 elongate assembly is configured such that the bio-active substance migrates from the pores to the recipient after implantation of the elongate assembly in the recipient.   
     
     
         69 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 elongate assembly is configured such that the bio-active substance migrates, diffuses and/or is released from the portion containing the bio-active substance after implantation of the elongate assembly into the recipient.   
     
     
         70 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 the porous portion is a porous body that has a substantially uniform porosity.   
     
     
         71 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 the porous portion has a varying porosity.   
     
     
         72 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 at least some of the pores of the porous portion are interconnected.   
     
     
         73 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 pores of the porous portion located closer to a distal end of the elongate assembly have a diameter and/or length different than those located further from the distal end of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         74 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 pores of the porous portion located closer to a distal end of the elongate assembly have a diameter and/or length greater than those located further from the distal end of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         75 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein the bio-active substance is selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical agent, an anti-inflammatory substance, an antibiotic, a steroid, a substance that reduces a resisting neuron potential of neurons within the cochlea, a substance that promotes healing, a substance that prevents bleeding and/or prevents excessive bleeding, a substance that prevents the growth of tissue and a substance that promotes more efficient neural stimulation. 
     
     
         76 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the bio-active substance is partially encapsulated within the elongate assembly and partially exposed to the exterior of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         77 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance has diameters that are taken at locations along a longitudinal direction of extension of the elongate assembly that vary.   
     
     
         78 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance has diameters that are taken at locations along a longitudinal direction of extension of the elongate assembly, the diameters at locations closer to a distal end of the elongate assembly being less than diameters at locations farther from the distal end of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         79 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 elongate assembly is configured such that the bio-active substance migrates, diffuses and/or is released from the portion containing the bio-active substance after implantation of the elongate assembly into the recipient.   
     
     
         80 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 at least some of the pores of the porous portion have a substantially constant size along their length.   
     
     
         81 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 at least some of the pores of the porous portion have a varying size along their length.   
     
     
         82 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 at least some of the pores of the porous portion have a substantially uniform cross-sectional shape along their length.   
     
     
         83 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 67 , wherein:
 at least some of the pores of the porous portion have a varying cross-sectional shape along their length.   
     
     
         84 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance is located away from a geometrically centered longitudinal axis of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         85 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 84 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance is located closer to a first location on a surface of the elongate assembly than a second location on the surface of the elongate assembly;   the first and second locations are located on opposite sides of the elongate assembly; and   the at least one electrode is located closer to the second location than the first location.   
     
     
         86 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 84 , wherein:
 the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance is located on a first side of the geometrically centered longitudinal axis of the elongate assembly;   the at least one electrode is located on a second side of the geometrically centered longitudinal axis of the elongate assembly; and   the first side is opposite the second side relative to the geometrically centered longitudinal axis of the elongate assembly.   
     
     
         87 . The implantable electrode array assembly of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the elongate assembly is configured to adopt a curved configuration after insertion into a cochlea of the recipient to provide stimulation to the cochlea;   the portion of the elongate assembly that contains the bio-active substance is located closer to a first location on a surface of the elongate assembly than a second location on the surface of the elongate assembly;   the first location is located on an outermost convex portion of the elongate assembly after the elongate assembly has adopted the curved configuration after insertion into the cochlea to stimulate the cochlea; and   the second location is located on an innermost concave portion of the elongate assembly after it has adopted the curved configuration after insertion into the cochlea to stimulate the cochlea.