Method and device for intracochlea impedance measurement

1. A method of determining an intracochlea tissue impedance, the method comprising:

applying an electrical stimulus to intracochlea tissue with at least two stimulating electrodes;

measuring a voltage caused by the stimulus between two measuring electrodes, wherein the two measuring electrodes are different electrodes than the stimulating electrodes;

determining, from the measured voltage, the impedance of tissue between the two measuring electrodes;

comparing the determined impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes with a previously obtained impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes obtained in response to a previously applied stimulus; and

identifying, based on the comparing, any changes to the impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an electrode surface-to-tissue impedance of at least one of the measuring electrodes by applying a stimulus using the at least one measuring electrode and measuring a voltage across the measuring electrodes in response to the stimulus applied using the at least one measuring electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical stimulus is a biphasic stimulus comprising first and second pulses of opposite polarity and an inter-phase gap between the first and second pulses.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a four point impedance measurement is obtained during at least one of the first pulse and the second pulse.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a four point potential measurement is obtained during at least one of the interphase gap and a time after the second pulse, to yield a measure of residual voltage.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying the electrical stimulus with characteristics that are substantially the same as characteristics of the previously applied stimulus to enable identification of changes in tissue response over time.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying the electrical stimulus with different characteristics from characteristics of the previously applied stimulus in order to investigate variations in tissue response arising from differing stimuli.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

placing the measuring electrodes in a high input impedance state during measurement.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulating electrodes comprise a stimulating electrode pair.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the measuring electrodes are interposed between the stimulating electrode pair.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising iteratively repeating the method and altering a characteristic of the electrical stimulus between each iteration, and determining from changes in the impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes a threshold stimulus level (T level) at which neural responses first arise.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising iteratively repeating the method for a plurality of different measuring electrodes along an auditory nerve, altering a characteristic of the electrical stimulus between each iteration, and determining a maximum comfort level (C level) at which a sum total of neural responses caused by stimuli along the length of the auditory nerve exceeds a patient comfort level.

13. A cochlear implant system for determining an intracochlea tissue impedance, the cochlear implant system comprising:

an implantable electrode array comprising a plurality of electrodes for applying electrical stimuli to intracochlea tissue; and

a controller adapted to:

cause application of an electrical stimulus to intracochlea tissue by at least two stimulating electrodes;

cause measurement of a voltage caused by the stimulus between two measuring electrodes, wherein the two measuring electrodes are different electrodes than the at least two stimulating electrodes;

determine, from the measured voltage, the impedance of tissue between the two measuring electrodes;

compare the determined impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes with a previously obtained impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes obtained in response to a previously applied stimulus; and

identify, based on the comparing, any changes to the impedance of the tissue between the two measuring electrodes.

14. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine an electrode surface-to-tissue impedance of at least one of the measuring electrodes by applying a stimulus using the at least one measuring electrode and measuring a voltage across the measuring electrodes in response to the stimulus applied using the at least one measuring electrode.

15. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the electrical stimulus is a biphasic stimulus comprising first and second pulses of opposite polarity and an inter-phase gap between the first and second pulses.

16. The cochlear implant system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is adapted to cause a four point impedance measurement to be obtained during at least one of the first pulse and the second pulse.

17. The cochlear implant system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is adapted to cause a four point potential measurement to be obtained during at least one of the interphase gap and a time after the second pulse, to yield a measure of residual voltage.

18. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is adapted to:

cause application of the electrical stimulus with characteristics that are substantially the same as characteristics of the previously applied stimulus to enable identification of changes in tissue response over time.

19. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is adapted to:

cause application of the electrical stimulus with different characteristics from characteristics of the previously applied stimulus in order to investigate variations in tissue response arising from differing stimuli.

20. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is adapted to:

cause the measuring electrodes to be placed in a high input impedance state during measurement.

21. The cochlear implant system of claim 13 , wherein the stimulating electrodes comprise a stimulating electrode pair.

22. The cochlear implant system of claim 21 , wherein the measuring electrodes are interposed between the stimulating electrode pair.