Advanced electrode array location evaluation

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.

1 - 78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . A method, comprising:
 sequentially activating a plurality of respective electrode pairs of an implanted electrode array;   concurrently respectively measuring, for the plurality of activated respective electrode pairs, an electrical characteristic between the respective electrodes of the respective electrode pairs, thereby obtaining a measurement set; and   determining, from the measurement set, a distance between the electrode array and tissue of a recipient of the electrode array.   
     
     
         80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein:
 the action of concurrently respectively measuring, for the respective electrode pairs, an electrical characteristic includes measuring an electrical characteristic using first and second electrodes of the electrode array, which electrodes are different from the electrodes of the electrode pair.   
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein:
 each of the electrode pairs used to create the measurement set comprises a unique pair of electrodes.   
     
     
         83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 83 , wherein:
 the respective first and second electrodes are disposed symmetrically about the respective third and fourth electrodes.   
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein:
 the electrode array of a cochlear implant electrode array; and   both of the electrodes of the respective electrode pairs are respective electrodes of the electrode array implanted in a cochlea.   
     
     
         86 - 108 . (canceled) 
     
     
         109 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining first data by:
 operating a first set of electrodes as a source and sink in and/or on a mammal while operating a second set of electrodes as recorder electrodes in and/or on a mammal thereby obtaining first electrical data from the second set of electrodes; 
   obtaining second data by:
 operating a third set of electrodes as a source and sink in and/or on the mammal, the third set being different than the first set, while operating the second set of electrodes as recorder electrodes in and/or on a mammal and thereby obtaining second electrical data from the second set of electrodes; 
   evaluating data by evaluating the first electrical data and the second electrical data; and   determining spatial positioning data based on the evaluation of the data.   
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein:
 the first electrical data is a first impedance based data between the electrodes of the second set;   the second electrical data is a second impedance based data between the electrodes of the second set;   the action of evaluating the first electrical data and the second electrical data includes comparing the first electrical data to the second electrical data; and   the action of determining the spatial positioning data includes determining a distance of the second set of electrodes from a gradient.   
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein:
 the electrodes of the first set are located closer to one another than the electrodes of the third set and are between electrodes of the third set.   
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 109 , further comprising:
 obtaining third data by:   operating a fourth set of electrodes as a source and sink in and/or on the mammal, the fourth set different than the third set, while operating the second set of electrodes as recorder electrodes in and/or on the mammal, thereby obtaining third electrical data from the second set of electrodes, wherein   the action of evaluating data includes evaluating the third electrical data while also evaluating the second electrical data and the first electrical data, and   the electrodes of the first set are located closer to one another than the electrodes of the third set and between electrodes of the third set, and the electrodes of the third set are located closer to one another than the electrodes of the fourth set and between electrodes of the fourth set.   
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein:
 the recorder electrodes are part of a cochlear electrode array that is located in a cochlea; and   the determined spatial positioning data is distance data of the recorder electrodes from a modiolus wall of the cochlea.   
     
     
         114 . A method, comprising:
 energizing an electrode implanted in a recipient, the electrode being part of an assembly located in and/or on a recipient;   receiving data from one or more recording electrodes located in and/or on a recipient; and   determining data based on the received data.   
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the spatial position data of the assembly is a distance of the assembly from a wall of tissue of the recipient.   
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 115 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the wall of tissue of the recipient is a wall that is a barrier of a cavity in the recipient that normally contains bodily fluid.   
     
     
         117 . The method of claim 115 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the wall of tissue of the recipient is a modiolus wall of a cochlea;   the assembly is an electrode array of a cochlear implant;   the electrode is located in a duct of the cochlea; and   the spatial position is distance of the electrode array from the modiolus wall relative to the one or more recording electrodes and/or a location between two or more of the recording electrodes.   
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the assembly is a cochlear electrode array;   the method further comprises:
 determining, based on the determined spatial position data, that at least one or more of the following has occurred: 
 (i) a tip fold over; 
 (ii) a longitudinally local lateral angular position of the electrode array has shifted relative to another longitudinally local position; 
 (iii) the electrode array has been over inserted into a cochlea of the recipient; 
 (iv) the electrode array has become unfixed subsequent to full implantation into the recipient; or 
 (v) the electrode array has migrated during implantation. 
   
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the assembly is an electrode array assembly;   the spatial position data is a plurality of respective distances of the assembly at respective locations along the array from respective locations of a wall of tissue of the recipient.   
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the actions of energizing, receiving and determining are actions that are part of a vertical electrical sounding method applied to a mammal.   
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data; and   the actions of energizing, receiving and determining are actions that are part of a surgical procedure to implant the assembly in the recipient; and   the method further comprises repositioning the electrode array based on the determined spatial position data.   
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the data received from one or more recording electrodes is electrical data from at least two electrodes implanted in a human head of the recipient, the at least two electrodes corresponding to the one or more recording electrodes located in and/or on the recipient; and   the determined data is a physiological feature of an interior of a duct of a cochlea based on the received data.   
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein:
 the physiological feature is the relative absence of perilymph in the duct.   
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein:
 the physiological feature is the relative absence of fibrous tissue growth due to implantation of the electrode array into the duct of the cochlea.   
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein:
 the physiological feature is the presence of significant fibrous tissue growth due to implantation of the electrode array into the duct of the cochlea.   
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 125 , further comprising:
 executing an NRT method; and   evaluating results of the NRT method by taking into account the presence of the significant fibrous tissue growth.   
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 126 , further comprising:
 determining that the fibrous tissue has established a dead patch with respect to taking NRT measurements.   
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein:
 the physiological feature is a second puncture in a wall of the cochlea in addition to that through which the electrode array entered the cochlea.   
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the assembly is an electrode array of a cochlear implant located in a cochlea.   
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the determined data is spatial position data of the assembly based on the received data.   
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 129 , wherein:
 the action of energizing the electrode and the action of receiving data from one or more recording electrodes is part of a process of executing vertical electrical sounding.   
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 121 , further comprising:
 determining a positional feature of the electrode array based on the vertical electrical sounding; and   the determined positional feature is a distance of the electrode array from a modiolus wall of the cochlea.   
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 131 , further comprising:
 determining a positional feature of the electrode array based on the vertical electrical sounding.   
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the action of determining, based on the determined spatial position data, includes determining that at least two or more of the following has occurred:
 (i) a tip fold over; 
 (ii) a longitudinally local lateral angular position of the electrode array has shifted relative to another longitudinally local position; 
 (iii) the electrode array has been over inserted into a cochlea of the recipient; 
 (iv) the electrode array has become unfixed subsequent to full implantation into the recipient; or 
 (v) the electrode array has migrated during implantation. 
   
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein:
 the action of determining, based on the determined spatial position data, includes determining that at least three or more of the following has occurred:
 (i) a tip fold over; 
 (ii) a longitudinally local lateral angular position of the electrode array has shifted relative to another longitudinally local position; 
 (iii) the electrode array has been over inserted into a cochlea of the recipient; 
 (iv) the electrode array has become unfixed subsequent to full implantation into the recipient; or 
 (v) the electrode array has migrated during implantation.