A guidewire includes a guidewire shaft and an inflatable element arranged at a distal end of the guidewire shaft. At least a portion of the guidewire shaft is formed of metal, and the guidewire shaft includes a lumen that fluidly communicates with an interior of the inflatable element. The inflatable element is operable to transition between a deflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET), and an inflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to dilate the ET.

A method that may include the steps of positioning a contact assembly, including a plurality of electrically conductive contacts that are respectively connected to a plurality of lead wires, on a shell formed from a first resilient material to form an electrode array sub-assembly, positioning the electrode array subassembly in a cochlear implant electrode array mold, and introducing a second resilient material into the mold to form a cochlear implant electrode array flexible body, on which the contacts are located, that is defined by the first and second flexible materials.

A device and method for dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a guide catheter and a balloon dilation catheter. The balloon dilation catheter has an actuator that prevents injury to the middle ear. The balloon dilation catheter is slidably coupled with the guide catheter through the guide catheter lumen and is fully inserted into the guide catheter lumen when the distal side of the actuator is adjacent to the proximal end of the guide catheter. The method involves advancing the guide catheter and balloon dilation catheter through a nasal passage of the patient to dilate a portion of the Eustachian tube.

The present solution provides systems and methods for trans-round window membrane drug delivery. As an overview, a system can include a micropump that is connected to a flexible cannula. The cannula can be threaded through a handpiece that can be used to pierce the round window membrane of a patient. Using the handpiece, the cannula can be inserted through the round window membrane to improve the distribution of the delivered drug throughout the inner ear. The present solution can function as a small implantable or wearable device that can be used for both chronic and acute trans-round window membrane drug delivery. With this configuration, the micropump can constantly or intermittently deliver, over a period of days to months, small volumes of drugs from an internal reservoir.

The technology involves scaffold structures used for in-ear sensor systems. Such systems that can perform biometric signal detection or act as a human-computer interface. Scaffolding arrangements minimize the amount of material placed in the ear while providing a secure fitting device that can be worn for hours, days or longer in order to provide maximal benefit to the wearer. The scaffolding includes a “C”-shaped arcuate curvature for at least part of the housing. This configuration can act as a natural leaf spring to help maintain the housing in contact with different points along the ear. Sensors are located along various points of the scaffolding for use in different diagnostic situations. Different components of an on-board sensor input and processing system can be distributed along different parts of the scaffolding. Such structures beneficially minimize ambient sound occlusion and avoid the need of an exterior strap or clip worn around the ear.

The present invention provides an instrument for ear treatment that facilitates treatment or surgery in the ear by inserting a tool, such as a scalpel, into the instrument for ear treatment. An instrument 1 for ear treatment of the present invention includes an insertion portion 2 formed in a horn tubular shape and configured to be inserted into an external acoustic meatus, wherein a support portion 3 configured to support a tool to be inserted into the insertion portion 2 is provided on an inner circumferential surface 2a or at an open end on a distal end side of the insertion portion 2. The support portion 3 is preferably formed from a projection projecting from the inner circumferential surface 2a of the insertion portion 2 and the support portion 3 is preferably formed on a distal end side in a direction of an axis L1 of the insertion portion 2.

A two-position handpiece coupling seal is provided. The two-position handpiece coupling seal includes a neck disposed at a first end that is configured to receive an implement. The two-position handpiece coupling seal has a first seal disposed about the neck of the two-position handpiece coupling seal. The first seal is configured to engage with a surface of a housing of a handpiece that uses the two-position coupling seal in a first position. The two-position handpiece coupling seal has a second seal disposed about a bore of the two-position handpiece coupling seal at a second end of the two-position handpiece coupling seal opposite the first end. The bore is configured to receive a driveshaft and the second seal is configured to sealingly engage with the driveshaft when the bore receives the driveshaft.

A method of forming an electrode array from an electrode array blank that includes a flexible body and a plurality of electrically conductive contacts. The method includes the steps of forming a first window in the flexible body that extends through the exterior of the flexible body to a first one of the electrically conductive contacts, the first window defining a first window perimetric center, and forming a second window in the flexible body that extends through the exterior of the flexible body to a second one of the electrically conductive contacts, the second window defining a second window perimetric center that is perimetrically offset from the first window perimetric center when the flexible body is straight and not twisted around the longitudinal axis of the flexible body.

An exemplary method of inserting a peri-straight electrode array into a cochlea of a recipient includes positioning the peri-straight electrode array and an insertion tool within the recipient such that a distal end of the insertion tool is provided within the recipient at a location that is outside and not touching the cochlea of the recipient, and a straight distal portion of the peri-straight electrode array extends away from the distal end of the insertion tool and into the cochlea. The exemplary method further includes manually interacting with the insertion tool to advance the straight distal portion and at least some of a pre-curved proximal portion into the cochlea without allowing the insertion tool to enter or come in contact with the cochlea, and removing the insertion tool from the recipient such that the peri-straight electrode array remains within the cochlea after the insertion tool is removed from the recipient.

The invention relates to an ear catheter for insertion into the eustachian tube with a first tube as catheter tube (3) provided with at least one first lumen as injection duct (3A) for the application of a liquid/fluid, at least one second lumen as pressure relief lumen (3B) for pressure relief and a self-expandable sealing element (2) for the occlusion of the eustachian tube, as well as an insertion aid comprising a headpiece, a middle piece and an end piece, wherein the insertion aid consists of a biocompatible polymer, and with at least one separator line extending at least through each of the middle piece and the end piece, along which the insertion aid can be unfolded or split open. The insertion aid proposed by the invention can thus be removed from a catheter even if the catheter ends are blocked.