Patent ID: 9623221
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: A61M,A61N,Y10T

Claim:
1. A cochlear implant, comprising: an implantable electrode array assembly implantable proximate to nerve cells of a recipient, comprising: a stimulator unit electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes in the implantable electrode array assembly and configured to generate electrical stimulation signals for delivery to a first population of the nerve cells via one or more of the plurality of electrodes; a bioactive substance source fluidically coupled to the lumen and configured to provide a bioactive substance to the at least one substance egress for application to a second population of the nerve cells; a reservoir configured to store the bioactive substance, wherein the lumen in the implantable electrode array assembly is configured to receive an amount of the bioactive substance from the reservoir; a substance delivery mechanism configured to control one or more of the bioactive substance source and the at least one substance egress to cause selective application of the bioactive substance to the second population of nerve cells; and a valve configured to control flow of the bioactive substance from the at least one substance egress.