IP Library › Granted Patent US 12670976

Granted Patent B2

US 12670976 · App. 18/754,965 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Systems and methods for implementing an individualized drug delivery profile for a recipient of a cochlear implant system

Inventors: Tim Nauwelaers (Hannover, DE); Stephan Geiger (Ventura, CA); Ersin Avci (Isernhagen, DE); Pierre Guillon (Stäfa, CH)

Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC

G16H20/10 A61N1/0541 A61N1/36039 A61N1/372 G16H40/63

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12670976
App. No.: 18/754,965
Granted: Jun 30, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An exemplary system comprises a memory that stores instructions and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform a process. The process may comprise accessing an individual three-dimensional (“3D”) cochlea model of a cochlea of a recipient of a cochlear implant system that includes a stimulating lead inserted into the cochlea during a lead insertion procedure, generating, based on the individual 3D cochlea model and procedure data associated with one or more lead insertion procedures performed with respect to one or more other recipients, an individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient, and transmitting a command to the cochlear implant system to cause release of a drug from the stimulating lead in accordance with the individualized drug delivery profile.

Claims (51)

1 . A system comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform a process comprising:

accessing an individual three-dimensional (“3D”) cochlea model of a cochlea of a recipient of a cochlear implant system that includes a stimulating lead inserted into the cochlea during a lead insertion procedure;

generating, based on the individual 3D cochlea model and procedure data associated with one or more lead insertion procedures performed with respect to one or more other recipients, an individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient; and

transmitting a command to a stimulating portion of the stimulating lead of the cochlear implant system to cause controllable release of a drug from the stimulating lead inserted within the recipient in accordance with the individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the process further comprises performing, based on the individual 3D cochlea model, a simulation to determine an estimated position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea; and

the generating of the individualized drug delivery profile is further based on the simulation.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the performing of the simulation is further based on a type of stimulating lead inserted during the lead insertion procedure.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the process further comprises determining, based on the individual 3D model and post-operative scan images of the recipient, a position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea; and

the generating of the individualized drug delivery profile is further based on the determining of the position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the stimulating lead includes a plurality of stimulating portions arranged along a length of the stimulating lead; and

the command to the stimulating portion of the stimulating lead of the cochlear implant system causes the drug to be released from a first portion of the stimulating lead that includes only a subset of stimulating portions included in the plurality of stimulating portions.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the stimulating lead is at a position within the cochlea that is subject to at least one of trauma, fibrosis, or inflammation that occur at least one of during the lead insertion procedure or after the lead insertion procedure.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein:

the process further comprises transmitting an additional command to an additional stimulating portion of the stimulating lead;

the additional command to the additional stimulating portion of the stimulating lead of the cochlear implant system causes the drug to be released from a second portion of the stimulating lead that includes only an additional subset of stimulating portions included in the plurality of stimulating portions; and

the first portion of the stimulating lead and the second portion of the stimulating lead are separated along the length of the stimulating lead by a third portion of the stimulating lead from which the drug is not released in response to the additional command.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the stimulating lead is an electrode lead that includes a plurality of electrode contacts arranged along a length of the electrode lead; and

the command directs the cochlear implant system to provide electrical current by way of one or more electrode contacts included in the plurality of electrode contacts to cause release of the drug from the electrode lead.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the stimulating lead is an optrode lead that includes a plurality of optrodes arranged along a length of the optrode lead; and

the command directs the cochlear implant system to emit light by way of one or more optrodes included in the plurality of optrodes to cause release of the drug from the optrode lead.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the command is transmitted a predefined amount of time subsequent to completion of the lead insertion procedure.

11 . A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

transmitting a command to the cochlear implant system to cause release of a drug from the stimulating lead inserted within the recipient in accordance with the individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein:

the stimulating lead includes a plurality of stimulating portions arranged along a length of the stimulating lead; and

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the stimulating lead is at a position within the cochlea that is subject to at least one of trauma, fibrosis, or inflammation that occur at least one of during the lead insertion procedure or after the lead insertion procedure.

14 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein:

the instructions are further for transmitting an additional command to an additional stimulating portion of the stimulating lead;

15 . A method comprising:

accessing, by a cochlear implant management system, an individual three-dimensional (“3D”) cochlea model of a cochlea of a recipient of a cochlear implant system that includes a stimulating lead inserted into the cochlea during a lead insertion procedure;

generating, by the cochlear implant management system and based on the individual 3D cochlea model and procedure data associated with one or more lead insertion procedures performed with respect to one or more other recipients, an individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient; and

transmitting, by the cochlear implant management system, a command to the cochlear implant system to cause release of a drug from the stimulating lead inserted within the recipient in accordance with the individualized drug delivery profile for the recipient.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising performing, by the cochlear implant management system and based on the individual 3D cochlea model, a simulation to determine an estimated position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea,

wherein the generating of the individualized drug delivery profile is further based on the simulation.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the performing of the simulation is further based on a type of stimulating lead inserted during the lead insertion procedure.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining, by the cochlear implant management system and based on the individual 3D model and post-operative scan images of the recipient, a position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea,

wherein the generating of the individualized drug delivery profile is further based on the determining of the position of the stimulating lead within the cochlea.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the command is transmitted a predefined amount of time subsequent to completion of the lead insertion procedure.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the command causes the drug to be controllably released to a portion of the cochlea that is subject to at least one of trauma, fibrosis, or inflammation that occur at least one of during the lead insertion procedure or after the lead insertion procedure.