US Patent:
20110046731, Feb 24, 2011
Inventors:
Gloria Jean Wiens - Gainesville FL, US
Patrick J. Antonelli - Gainesville FL, US
Troy Benjamin Rippere - Gainesville FL, US
Koustubh Jayaprakash Rao - Gainesville FL, US
Assignee:
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. - Gainesville FL
International Classification:
A61F 2/18
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide a middle ear prosthesis that can be adjusted in situ. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a method for adjusting a middle ear prosthesis in situ. In specific embodiments, the middle ear prosthesis can be inserted into the middle ear of a patient during surgery and then, after the surgery, the length of, or distance between the end resting on the malleus and the end resting on the stapes, can be adjusted without the need to touch the prosthesis through a surgical intervention. A middle ear prosthesis can include a first element having a first interconnecting end and a malleus end , for resting on a malleus or tympanic membrane, and a second element having a second interconnecting end and a stapes end , for resting on a stapes (either capitulum or footplate), where the first and second interconnecting ends interconnect with each other. The first element can incorporate an outer cylinder with an approximately cylindrical head , at the malleus end, and the second element can include an inner cylinder with an approximately conical foot , acting as the stapes end. When the prosthesis is implanted in a patient, the head of the outer cylinder can rest on the malleus or tympanic membrane and the foot of the inner cylinder can rest on the stapes capitulum or footplate. The inner cylinder can be inserted into the outer cylinder and inhibited from sliding by a clamp with a compliant portion . External forces can be applied to the clamp to actuate release of the clamp and allow for adjustment of the length of the prosthesis in situ.