The present invention relates to a method of producing a collagen membrane that has particular mechanical properties. In particular, the present invention relates to a method A of producing a collagen membrane comprising the steps of (i) isolating a collagen-containing tissue and incubating same in an ethanol solution; (ii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue from step (i) in a first solution comprising an inorganic salt and an anionic surfactant in order to denature non-collagenous proteins contained therein; (iii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (ii) in a second solution comprising an inorganic acid until the collagen in said material is denatured; and (iv) incubating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (iii) in a third solution comprising an inorganic acid with simultaneous mechanical stimulation for sufficient time to enable the collagen bundles in said collagen-containing tissue to align; wherein the mechanical stimulation comprises applying tension cyclically to the collagen-containing tissue.

A middle ear prosthesis is made of a stiff deformable material and includes a planar head end with a central portion having a central diameter. The head end is adapted for engagement with a tympanic membrane from the middle ear of an implanted patient. An opposing pair of U-shaped stapes engagement legs bend down from the central portion so that an end distance between ends of the engagement legs is less than the central diameter. The engagement legs are adapted for adjustable length engagement with the stapes in the middle ear of the implanted patient. The head end and the engagement legs are adapted to transmit vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the stapes for perception as sound by the implanted patient.

This disclosure features artificial tympanic membrane graft devices and two-component bilayer graft devices that include a scaffold having a plurality of ribs made of a first material and a plurality of spaces between the ribs filled or made with the first material, a different, second material, a combination of the first and a second materials, or a combination of a second material and one or more other different materials. The bilayer graft devices have two components or layers. One component, e.g., the underlay graft device, can include a projection, and the second component, e.g., the overlay graft device, can include an opening that corresponds to the projection (or vice versa) so that the opening and the projection can secure the two layers together in a lock and key manner. This disclosure also features methods of making, using, and implanting the three-dimensional artificial tympanic membrane and bilayer graft devices.

An auditory prosthesis (1, 101) for middle-ear, in particular for reconstructing the ossicular chain, the auditory prosthesis (1, 101) comprising a portion (2) configured to contact the tympanic membrane, wherein the portion (2) comprises a substrate (4) provided with a coating (6) made of biocompatible silicone, wherein the coating (6) is integrally fixed to the substrate (4) and is adapted to contact, at least partially, the tympanic membrane.

The present invention provides a surgical introducer (10) for inserting an implant (22) into a human ear, the introducer comprising a handle (12), a slider (14) movable relative to the handle between a first position and a second position, a retaining means being at least partially defined by the slider, and a releasable locking mechanism biased to lock the slider in said first or second position, wherein, when the slider is in said first position an implant is engaged by the retaining means and when the slider is moved towards said second position the implant is deployed.

Disclosed is a method of preparing PCL patch tissue regeneration scaffold comprising preparing solution by adding polycaprolactone (PCL) and an acid to an organic solvent; preparing an electrospinning solution by adding a growth factor to the solution and stirring; and collecting nanofibers arranged in a spindle shape on a collector by connecting the electrospinning solution prepared to a syringe pump and operating the electrospinning device.

Systems, apparatus, and methods described herein relate to a tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube. The tympanic membrane pressure equalization tube can include a tubular body defining a lumen and having a proximal end and a distal end, where the tubular body is configured to be deployed in a tympanic membrane; and a fluid transport element disposed within the lumen and extending at least a length of the tubular body. The tubular body can be configured to transition from a first state in which the tubular body can be disposed within an introducer and a second state in which the tubular body can be retained in an incision formed the tympanic membrane after deployment, and the fluid transport element can enable transport of a fluid across the tympanic membrane.

The present invention is directed to a contact hearing system utilizing an emitter adapted to emit light and a contact hearing device adapted to receive the emitted light and convert that light into sound by mechanical manipulation of a subjects ear drum. In the present invention the emitter may utilize multiple light sources and the multiple light sources may be passed through at least one diffuser in order to generate an emitted light having a broader angle of incidence with little or no loss in received power as measured by a photodetector on the contact hearing device when the contact hearing device is positioned on a subject's tympanic membrane and the emitter is positioned in the subject's ear canal.

The devices described herein are used for holding an undelay graft and an overlay graft in place for repair a tympanic membrane. The devices include a post having a proximal end and a distal end; and first and second arms, each having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the post is flexibly joined to the proximal end of the first arm and to the proximal end of the second arm. When the device is in a deployed configuration, the first arm and the second arm extend substantially perpendicularly from the post; and when the first arm and the second arm are clamped into a constrained configuration, the first arm and the second arm extend substantially parallel to a central axis of the post.

The present invention relates to the preparation of a membrane for use in the repair of the middle ear including perforations and damage to the tympanic membrane. More particularly, the invention provides for compositions and methods for preparing silk fibroin biocompatible polyurethane membranes using a solvent, which have improved biodegradation, mechanical and vibroacoustic properties.