New easy to install nerve cuff electrode using shape memory alloy armature

A review for the peripheral nerve interface designer

Informational density and relative accessibility of the peripheral nervous system make it an attractive site for therapeutic intervention. Electrode-based electrophysiological interfaces with peripheral nerves have been under development since the 1960s and, for several applications, have seen widespread clinical implementation. However, many applications require a combination of neural target resolution and stability which has thus far eluded existing peripheral nerve interfaces (PNIs). With the goal of aiding PNI designers in development of devices that meet the demands of next-generation applications, this review seeks to collect and present practical considerations and best practices which emerge from the literature, including both lessons learned during early PNI development and recent ideas. Fundamental and practical principles guiding PNI design are reviewed, followed by an updated and critical account of existing PNI designs and strategies. Finally, a brief survey of in vitro and in vivo PNI characterization methods is presented.

Three-Dimensional Flexible Electronics Enabled by Shape Memory Polymer Substrates for Responsive Neural Interfaces

Planar electronics processing methods have enabled neural interfaces to become more precise and deliver more information. However, this processing paradigm is inherently 2D and rigid. The resulting mechanical and geometrical mismatch at the biotic-abiotic interface can elicit an immune response that prevents effective stimulation. In this work, a thiol-ene/acrylate shape memory polymer is utilized to create 3D softening substrates for stimulation electrodes. This substrate system is shown to soften in vivo from more than 600 to 6 MPa. A nerve cuff electrode that coils around the vagus nerve in a rat and that drives neural activity is demonstrated.

Detection of the bladder volume from the neural afferent activities in dogs: experimental results

OBJECTIVE

We evaluate the bladder volume and pressure through recording the bladder afferent activity in the sacral nerve roots in acute experiments of paraplegic dogs. These measurements are intended to report the status of the bladder and to adjust the stimulation parameters of an implantable electric stimulator.

METHODS

The extraction of neural information for feedback in functional electrical stimulation is limited by the poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the sacral nerve recordings. We propose to inject a very low amplitude sinusoidal current with high SNR to the bladder through the nerve using a tripolar cuff electrode wrapped around the S2 nerve root. The application of this current (0.4 microA peak to peak, 30 Hz) allows detecting bladder afferent activity in its amplitude and the tissues impedance of the nerve. Acute experiments in dogs were performed to evaluate the proposed method. In each dog, the bladder infusion with saline was carried out at both slow and high filling rates. At the same time, the changes in the amplitude of the sinusoidal output voltage V(OUT) were recorded through the cuff nerve electrode.

RESULTS

The data obtained from 26 acute experiments using eight dogs demonstrate that the amplitude of the recorded sinusoidal voltage V(OUT) varies proportionally with the bladder pressure during the bladder filling with saline solution. It also demonstrates that the bladder volume can be estimated from the increasing amplitude of the recorded V(OUT).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that the increase in the V(OUT) is proportionally related to the increase in bladder pressure. The difference between the recorded V(OUT) during the bladder filling and the baseline V(OUT) can be a useful indicator of the changes in the bladder volume.

Long-term stimulation and recording with a penetrating microelectrode array in cat sciatic nerve

We studied the consequences of long-term implantation of a penetrating microelectrode array in peripheral nerve over the time course of 4-6 mo. Electrode arrays without lead wires were implanted to test the ability of different containment systems to protect the array and nerve during contractions of surrounding muscles. Treadmill walking was monitored and the animals showed no functional deficits as a result of implantation. In a different set of experiments, electrodes with lead wires were implanted for up to 7 mo and the animals were tested at 2-4 week intervals at which time stimulation thresholds and recorded sensory activity were monitored for every electrode. It was shown that surgical technique highly affected the long-term stimulation results. Results between measurement sessions were compared, and in the best case, the stimulation properties stabilized in 80% of the electrodes over the course of the experiment (162 days). The recorded sensory signals, however, were not stable over time. A histological analysis performed on all implanted tissues indicated that the morphology and fiber density of the nerve around the electrodes were normal.

An implantable electrode design for both chronic in vivo nerve recording and axon stimulation in freely behaving crayfish

A chronically implantable electrode design permitting alternate extracellular nerve recording and axon stimulation in freely behaving crayfish was developed. The electrode consists of a double hook made from 20 microm thin platinum wire that can be fitted to various nerve diameters, and is easily implantable. A fast curing, flexible two-component silicone was used for insulation. The double hook was connected to plugs and fixed on the carapace of a crayfish allowing the animals to roam freely. The setup also allows for repeated dis- and re-connection of the crayfish for alternating recording and stimulation. Two channel recordings were used to determine directionality and to discriminate between afferent activity of the two stretch receptor neurons and efferent activity of several motor neurons. In addition, they were also used to determine the conduction velocity of the recorded efferent activity. Stable two-channel recordings could be obtained for up to 5 months and 15 days without apparent effects on the animal. In vivo stimulation could be performed for at least 3 1/2 weeks. The implantable double hook is suitable for widespread use in invertebrate neurobiology.

Neuroprostheses for the upper extremity

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) neuroprostheses can be used to replace lost motor and sensory function in persons with neurological disorders. FES technology has subsequently been shown effective and safe in restoring hand function in adults with spinal cord injury. The freehand system consists of an implanted receiver-stimulator, an external shoulder position sensor, and an external control unit. Commands are originated by voluntary movement of the contralateral shoulder and are measured by the sensor. There are several types of electrodes: epimysial, intramuscular, nerve cuff, and intraneural. Neuroprostheses are recommended within the context of all available reconstructive options for the upper limbs. Voluntary tendon transfers are the first choice. The clinical outcomes as measured by improvement on scales of impairment, activities of daily living, and satisfaction are rewarding. The next step in improvement of the motor function of person with spinal cord injury will be the addition of a controllable second upper extremity and the elimination of additional external hardware.

Selective stimulation of cat sciatic nerve using an array of varying-length microelectrodes

Restoration of motor function to individuals who have had spinal cord injuries or stroke has been hampered by the lack of an interface to the peripheral nervous system. A suitable interface should provide selective stimulation of a large number of individual muscle groups with graded recruitment of force. We have developed a new neural interface, the Utah Slanted Electrode Array (USEA), that was designed to be implanted into peripheral nerves. Its goal is to provide such an interface that could be useful in rehabilitation as well as neuroscience applications. In this study, the stimulation capabilities of the USEA were evaluated in acute experiments in cat sciatic nerve. The recruitment properties and the selectivity of stimulation were examined by determining the target muscles excited by stimulation via each of the 100 electrodes in the array and using force transducers to record the force produced in these muscles. It is shown in the results that groups of up to 15 electrodes were inserted into individual fascicles. Stimulation slightly above threshold was selective to one muscle group for most individual electrodes. At higher currents, co-activation of agonist but not antagonist muscles was observed in some instances. Recruitment curves for the electrode array were broader with twitch thresholds starting at much lower currents than for cuff electrodes. In these experiments, it is also shown that certain combinations of electrode pairs, inserted into an individual fascicle, excite fiber populations with substantial overlap, whereas other pairs appear to address independent populations. We conclude that the USEA permits more selective stimulation at much lower current intensities with more graded recruitment of individual muscles than is achieved by conventional cuff electrodes.