Electrode contact, implantable electrode and nerve stimulation system

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of nerve stimulation, and discloses an electrode contact, an implantable electrode and a nerve stimulation system. The electrode contact comprises a plurality of contact surfaces, each contact surface can independently serve as a stimulation source, and at least two contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces face different directions, so that the electrode contact has a plurality of stimulation directions. According to the electrode contact scheme provided by the embodiment of the utility model, more stimulation directions can be provided, and the effectiveness and accuracy of nerve stimulation can be improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model generally relates to the field of nerve stimulation. More specifically, the utility model relates to an electrode contact, an implantable electrode and a nerve stimulation system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment method that sends electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain through implanted electrodes, which has been proven to have therapeutic effects on a variety of neurological diseases and mental disorders. In recent years, with the progress of medical research, people have gradually realized that the direction of the stimulation point after the electrode is implanted into the brain and the stimulation pulse have a significant impact on the treatment effect.

[0003] There are mainly two forms of existing electrode structures: ring electrodes and directional electrodes. As shown in (a) of FIG. 1, the stimulation end of a conventional ring electrode has a ring electrode contact 101, and the stimulation direction thereof cannot be controlled, making it difficult to achieve precise stimulation and regulation. As shown in (b) and (c) of FIG. 1, the stimulation end of a conventional directional electrode (or segmented electrode, directional electrode) has radially segmented electrode pieces (or electrode contacts) 102, allowing it to have multiple controllable stimulation directions. However, although the electrode pieces 102 of the existing directional electrode can have different shapes and distributions, the stimulation direction thereof is still limited to the radial direction of the electrode. Figure 1 Figure 1 Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a new electrode contact scheme for nerve stimulation in order to provide more stimulation directions. SUMMARY

[0004] In order to at least solve one or more technical problems mentioned above, the utility model provides a scheme of an electrode contact, an implantable electrode and a nerve stimulation system in multiple aspects.

[0005] In a first aspect, the utility model provides an electrode contact, comprising: a plurality of contact surfaces, wherein each contact surface can be independently used as a stimulation source, and at least two contact surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces are respectively directed in different directions, so that the electrode contact has multiple stimulation directions.

[0006] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces comprises a bottom surface and at least two side surfaces, wherein the included angle between each side surface and the bottom surface is an obtuse angle.

[0007] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces comprises a bottom surface and at least two side surfaces, wherein the included angle between each side surface and the bottom surface is an obtuse angle.

[0008] In other embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces further comprises an extension surface connected to at least one side surface and extending in a direction away from the bottom surface, so that the cross-sectional shape of the electrode contact in at least one direction is a spoon-shaped shape. ​

[0009] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in a honeycomb shape; or at least part of the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in an S shape.

[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in a ring shape, so that the back surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces enclose a hollow structure, facilitating the electrode body to be sleeved therein.

[0011] In some embodiments, the electrode contact further comprises: a chamfered surface arranged at the connection of the plurality of contact surfaces, and / or the exposed edge of one or more contact surfaces.

[0012] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces, and / or an insulating isolation layer is arranged.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces are all flat surfaces; or at least one contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces is a curved surface; or at least one contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces has a concave-convex surface structure.

[0014] In a second aspect, the utility model provides a kind of implantable electrode, comprising: one or more electrode contacts of any described in the first aspect of the utility model.

[0015] In a third aspect, the utility model provides a kind of nerve stimulation system, comprising the implantable electrode described in the second aspect of the utility model.

[0016] In some embodiments, the nerve stimulation system further comprises a stimulator, and each contact surface of the electrode contact in the implantable electrode is independently connected to the stimulator.

[0017] Through the electrode contact, implantable electrode and nerve stimulation system scheme as provided above, the utility model embodiment provides electrode contact with multiple contact surfaces, and each contact surface can be independently used as stimulation source, and multiple contact surfaces are respectively oriented in different directions, so that one electrode contact can have multiple stimulation directions, thereby providing more comprehensive and three-dimensional electric field line shape and distribution range, which is beneficial to activate more different structure neurons more timely and effectively when sending stimulation signal, and improve the efficiency and accuracy of nerve stimulation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present application will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which several embodiments of the present application are shown by way of example, and wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a plurality of prior electrode structures is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the effect of the orientation of a neuron on its acceptance of charge is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the irregularity of the shape of an axon in an electric field causing the axon to be excited unexpectedly is shown;

[0022] Figure 4a A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0023] Figure 4b A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application is shown; Figure 4a A top view schematic diagram of the electrode contact shown is shown;

[0024] Figure 5a A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0025] Figure 5b A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode having the electrode contact shown mounted thereon is shown; Figure 5a A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode having the electrode contact shown mounted thereon is shown;

[0026] Figure 5c A top view schematic diagram of the implantable electrode shown is shown; Figure 5b A top view schematic diagram of the implantable electrode shown is shown;

[0027] Figure 5d A schematic diagram of some application scenarios of the implantable electrode shown is shown; Figure 5b A schematic diagram of some application scenarios of the implantable electrode shown is shown;

[0028] Figure 5e A partial schematic diagram of an implantable electrode having the electrode contact recessed on the electrode body is shown;

[0029] Figure 5f A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode having a plurality of electrode contacts recessed and protruded respectively according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0030] Figure 5g A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode comprising a spoon-shaped electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0031] Figure 5h A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode comprising an S-shaped electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0032] Figure 6a A schematic diagram of an electrode contact having a plurality of contact surfaces distributed in a honeycomb shape according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 6b A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode having the electrode contact shown mounted thereon is shown; Figure 6aschematic view of an implantable electrode showing electrode contacts;

[0034] Figure 7a schematic view of electrode contacts of a plurality of contact faces in a ring distribution according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] Figure 7b schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown in Figure 7a schematic view of an implantable electrode showing electrode contacts;

[0036] Figure 7c schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown in Figure 7b schematic view of an implantable electrode showing electrode contacts;

[0037] Figure 8a schematic view of an electrode contact comprising a chamfered face according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] Figure 8b schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown in Figure 8a schematic view of an implantable electrode showing electrode contacts;

[0039] Figure 8c schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown in Figure 8b schematic view of an implantable electrode showing electrode contacts;

[0040] Figure 9 schematic view of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0041] Figure 10 schematic block diagram of a neurostimulation system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0042] Figure 11 partial schematic view of an implantable electrode according to some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the scope of the present application.

[0044] It should be understood that the terms "comprise" and "include" used in the specification and claims of the present application indicate the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0045] It should also be understood that the terms used herein in the specification and the claims are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to be limiting of the present application. As used in this specification and the claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, as well as the lack of combinations when interpreted in the alternative ("or").

[0046] As used in this specification and claims, the terms "if' and "when" can each be interpreted to mean "upon determination" or "in response to a determination" or "in response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if detected [the described condition or event]" can be interpreted to mean "upon determining" or "in response to determining" or "upon detecting [the described condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [the described condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0047] The inventors have found that the electrode contacts of the existing ring electrodes and directional electrodes are all smooth and flat sheet structures. This is because the design and improvement of the electrode contacts are all based on the ideal state that the direction of the neuron axon structure is smooth and regular. However, research has found that the axon repeatedly branches at the near-terminal end, and the end thereof can form a complex structure. In addition, some axons are the thinnest and most irregular in the deep region. These studies show that although the axon may be relatively uniform in some parts, it is not always smooth and regular as a whole, and its direction is unpredictable.

[0048] Further research has found that effective stimulation in DBS requires depolarization of neurons. In order to depolarize neurons, electric charges must be delivered to them to change the potential on the neuron cell membrane, thereby affecting the voltage-gated ion conduction channel. Therefore, the electric field formed by the electric charges and the direction of the neuron cell membrane are crucial. The electric charges flow from the negative electrode contact to the positive electrode contact, and the neuron cell membrane perpendicular to the electric field lines from the negative electrode contact receives the electric charges, thereby affecting the neuron transmembrane potential and even making the neuron cell membrane depolarize to generate an action potential, while the neurons parallel to the electric field lines will not receive the electric charges and thus will not generate an action potential. For ease of understanding, the following will be described in combination with Figure 2 and Figure 3 .

[0049] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the principle of the influence of the direction of the neuron on its reception of electric charges. As shown in Figure 2 , when the DBS output stimulation signal is output, negatively charged ions (such as Figure 2The negative charges move from the cathode of the electrode to the anode of the electrode (as shown by the water droplet pattern in the figure). When the neuron cell membrane runs perpendicular to the ion flow along the electric field lines (for example, when the direction of the axon A of the neuron is perpendicular to the direction of the negative charge along the electric field lines), the negative charge can be considered to accumulate on the surface area of the axon A. When there is enough negative charge accumulated on the surface area of the axon A, the neuron cell membrane depolarizes beyond a certain threshold, and the axon A generates an action potential. When the axon B runs parallel to the negative charge, the negative charge does not accumulate on the neuron cell membrane but continues to flow through the neuron cell membrane. Therefore, the charge does not accumulate on the surface area of the axon B, the neuron cell membrane does not depolarize, and no action potential is generated.

[0050] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the principle of irregularity of the shape of the axon in the electric field causing accidental excitation of the axon is shown. As shown in the figure, in this example, the axon 301 runs generally parallel to the electric field lines and the charge flow. Such a direction generally does not generate an action potential. However, since the axon 301 is irregular and has an "S" shaped curve shape, a small part of the area 302 of the axon 301 is relatively perpendicular to the electric field lines. Negative charges can accumulate on this small part of the area 302, so that the cell membrane can depolarize. If the depolarization is sufficient, it can lead to the generation of an action potential, which can be conducted through the rest of the axon 301. Figure 3

[0051] Based on the above analysis, it can be seen that although the direction of the electric field lines relative to the direction of the neuron (usually the axon) is important, due to the irregularity of the shape of the neuron axon, the direction of the electric field lines that can cause the neuron to depolarize is difficult to predict. This is also a difficult problem that needs to be overcome in the field. The existing stimulation electrode does not consider the relationship between the direction of the neuron in the target area and the direction of the electric field lines when the electrode is implanted in the target area. Therefore, it is likely that the direction of the neuron near the electrode contact is consistent with the direction of the electric field lines, and a larger current or voltage must be applied to generate an action potential, which can cause damage to the human body and is not conducive to energy saving. In addition, the sheet-shaped electrode contact of the existing stimulation electrode makes the direction of the electric field lines single, cannot be flexibly adjusted, and is difficult to achieve effective stimulation in a short time.

[0052] Therefore, the utility model aims at providing an electrode contact with a three-dimensional structure, which can generate more stimulation directions, thereby forming more shaped and more widely distributed electric field lines, increasing the flexibility of the stimulation electric field shape configuration, increasing the effectiveness of the electric charge acting on the neuron, and activating more neurons with different structures and different directions. The specific embodiments of the utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Figure 4a A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the utility model is shown. Figure 4b A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some embodiments of the utility model is shown.​Figure 4a A top view of the electrode contacts shown. Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the electrode contact 400 includes multiple contact surfaces (e.g., the bottom surface 401 and two side surfaces 402 shown in the figure), each contact surface can be used independently as a stimulation source, and the multiple contact surfaces face different directions, so that the electrode contact 400 has multiple stimulation directions.

[0054] Specifically, each contact surface of the electrode contact 400 can be independently connected to the stimulator via, for example, an independent wire (or a signal transmission medium such as a metal wire), so that each contact surface of the electrode contact 400 can be controlled individually as an independent stimulation source. Thus, stimulation parameters (including stimulation intensity, stimulation duration, amplitude, frequency, etc.) can be independently set for each contact surface. Here, the stimulation source refers to the stimulation point source from which the neuron emits a stimulation signal. According to this configuration, multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can emit stimulation signals simultaneously or at different times, and multiple contact surfaces can emit the same or different stimulation signals. For example, in some embodiments, some contact surfaces can emit stimulation signals, while other contact surfaces may not emit stimulation signals.

[0055] In some embodiments, the material of the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may all be metal. In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may be directly connected or indirectly connected. In still other embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces may not be connected to each other. In some embodiments, the shape and size of the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may be the same or different. In other embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may all be polygonal.

[0056] Furthermore, such as Figure 4b As shown, multiple contact surfaces can face different directions and can be used independently as stimulation sources, so that the electrode contact 400 has multiple independent and controllable stimulation directions. For example, the bottom surface 401 faces the first direction F1, and the two side surfaces 402 face the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 respectively. The first direction F1, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 are different directions, so that the electrode contact 400 has at least three stimulation directions: the first direction F1, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3.

[0057] In some embodiments, the included angle between at least two adjacent contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can be an obtuse angle, a right angle, or an acute angle. Compared to acute and right angles, an obtuse angle between adjacent contact surfaces makes the electrode contact 400 smoother overall and less likely to damage surrounding tissues. For example... Figure 4bAs shown in FIG. 4, each side surface 402 forms an obtuse angle a with the bottom surface 401.

[0058] In some other embodiments, each of the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can be a planar surface; or at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces can be a curved surface; or at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces can have a surface structure with unevenness. The at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces being a curved surface or having a surface structure with unevenness can further increase the diversity of the stimulation directions, and increase the contact range of the contact surfaces with the neurons. In addition, the curved surface shape of the contact surface can also make the outer surface of the electrode contact more smooth.

[0059] The above description is exemplary but not limiting, for example, the number of the contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can not be limited to three as shown in the figures, and more or fewer contact surfaces can also be provided as needed. For example, the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can not be limited to including only two side surfaces, and can include more side surfaces, for example, four side surfaces. Further description will be made below in conjunction with Figure 4a and Figure 4b The electrode contact according to some embodiments of the present application has been described exemplarily, and it can be understood that the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the present application has a plurality of contact surfaces facing different directions, thereby forming a sheet-shaped polyhedral structure, and each of the contact surfaces can serve as an independent stimulation contact, and therefore the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the present application can form a field intensity form / electric field line form with more shapes and a wider distribution range. Based on this, compared with the electrode contact form shown in Figure 1 , the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the present application can help to activate as many neurons as possible in different directions and different structures, thereby greatly shortening the occurrence time of effective stimulation, that is, it is beneficial to increase the effectiveness of the electric charge acting on the neurons, thereby activating more neurons in a short time and improving the timeliness of the stimulation. In addition, the independent control of each contact surface can increase the flexibility of configuring the shape of the stimulation electric field, and is beneficial to improve the accuracy of the target point stimulation treatment.

[0060] It can also be understood that the above description is exemplary but not limiting, for example, the number of the contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can not be limited to three as shown in the figures, and more or fewer contact surfaces can also be provided as needed. For example, the plurality of contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can not be limited to including only two side surfaces, and can include more side surfaces, for example, four side surfaces. Further description will be made below in conjunction with Figures 5a-5d .

[0061] Figure 5a A front view schematic diagram of an electrode contact according to some other embodiments of the present application is shown. Compared with the electrode contact shown in Figure 4a , the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the present application has a plurality of contact surfaces facing different directions, thereby forming a sheet-shaped polyhedral structure, and each of the contact surfaces can serve as an independent stimulation contact, and therefore the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the present application can form a field intensity form / electric field line form with more shapes and a wider distribution range. Based on this, compared with the electrode contact form shown in Figure 5aThe electrode contact 400 shown in the middle includes a bottom surface 401 and four side surfaces 402, forming an electrode contact with a polyhedral structure. The bottom surface 401 and the four side surfaces 402 can respectively face different directions, so that the electrode contact 400 can have five different stimulation directions. In some embodiments, the four side surfaces 402 can be respectively connected with four edges of the bottom surface 401. The included angle between each side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 can be an obtuse angle. According to such a setting, the electrode contact 400 will have no exposed edges after being mounted on an electrode, and the whole is relatively flat and smooth. In order to facilitate understanding of the use state and use effect of the electrode contact according to the embodiments of the utility model, the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5b and Figure 5c will be specifically described below.

[0062] Figure 5b The schematic diagram of the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5a is shown. Figure 5c The top view schematic diagram of the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5b is shown. As shown in Figure 5b and Figure 5c , the implantable electrode 500 can include an electrode body 501 and at least one electrode contact 400, and the at least one electrode contact 400 is mounted on the electrode body 501. The electrode contact 400 is usually mounted on one end of the electrode body 501 to serve as a stimulation end of the implantable electrode 500, and the other end of the electrode body 501 is used to connect with a stimulator / pulse generator to transmit a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the implantable electrode can be a brain implantable electrode for stimulating a brain nerve. In other embodiments, the implantable electrode can be a directional electrode.

[0063] The electrode body 501 can be elongated, and the electrode contact 400 can be mounted on the outer surface of the electrode body 501. In some embodiments, the electrode body 501 can include a shell, and the electrode contact 400 can be mounted on the shell. In other embodiments, the electrode body 501 can also include structures such as a catheter (for example, a TPU tube), a guide, or a support, etc., for providing support and passage for the wires connected by each contact surface.

[0064] In some embodiments, the implantable electrode 500 can include a plurality of electrode contacts 400, and the plurality of electrode contacts 400 can be uniformly distributed at the stimulation end of the electrode body 501. In other embodiments, the plurality of electrode contacts 400 can be divided into multiple groups, and the electrode contacts 400 in each group can be distributed in a ring shape around the circumference of the electrode body 501. The plurality of electrode contacts 400 can be distributed with intervals.

[0065] For the convenience of understanding the beneficial effects of the electrode contact and the implantable electrode with multiple stimulation directions according to the embodiments of the present application, the following exemplary descriptions are made with reference to the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5b and in combination with Figure 5d .

[0066] Figure 5d Some application scenarios of the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5b are shown in the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figure 5d , the implantable electrode shown in Figure 5b is taken as an example, the bottom surface 401 of the electrode contact on the implantable electrode can have a stimulation direction of the first direction F1, and one side surface 402 can have a stimulation direction shown in the fourth direction F4 in the figure, for example. In some scenarios, the axon of the first neuron 10 is parallel to the electric field line direction (i.e. the charge moving direction) of the fourth direction F4, and is not within the coverage of the first direction F1, so the stimulation signals emitted by the side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 will not generate action potentials on the first neuron 10. In other scenarios, for example, the second neuron 20 is not within the coverage of the first direction F1, but part of the axon of the second neuron 20 is perpendicular to the electric field line direction of the fourth direction F4, so the stimulation signal emitted by the side surface 402 can generate action potentials on the second neuron 20, while the stimulation signal emitted by the bottom surface 401 will not generate action potentials on the second neuron 20. In yet other scenarios, for example, part of the axon of the third neuron 30 is parallel to the first direction F1, and another part of the axon of the third neuron 30 is perpendicular to the fourth direction F4, so the stimulation signal emitted by the side surface 402 can generate action potentials on the third neuron 30, while the stimulation signal emitted by the bottom surface 401 will not generate action potentials on the third neuron 30.

[0067] In comparison, for example, the directional electrode shown in Figure 1 can only emit stimulation signals in the radial direction of the electrode body, i.e. can only form the electric field line form of the first direction F1, for example, so as to be unable to trigger the generation of action potentials on the first neuron 10, the second neuron 20 and the third neuron 30 in Figure 5d , for example. However, the electrode contact 400 of the implantable electrode 500 according to the embodiments of the present application has more stimulation directions, such as the fourth direction F4 shown in Figure 5d , so as to be able to trigger the generation of action potentials on the second neuron 20 and the third neuron 30, for example. Obviously, compared with the existing electrode, the electrode contact and the implantable electrode according to the embodiments of the present application can trigger more neurons of more structures and more directions.

[0068] It can be seen that the electrode contacts of this utility model embodiment have contact surfaces in multiple directions, which can not only improve the coverage of the stimulation electric field, allowing more neurons to be within the stimulation range of the implanted electrode, but also enrich the direction and shape of the stimulation electric field lines, enabling more neurons with different structures and directions to be activated.

[0069] The above combination Figures 5a-5d The electrode contacts and implanted electrodes according to embodiments of the present invention have been further described. It is understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting. For example, the electrode contacts may not be limited to those protruding from the surface of the electrode body as shown in the figures. In some embodiments, the electrode contact 400 may be recessed into the surface of the electrode body 501, for example... Figure 5e As shown in the image.

[0070] The recessed electrode contacts help implanted electrodes to be better secured within the brain. The brain is a dynamic environment with cerebrospinal fluid flow and minute displacements of brain tissue. If the electrode contacts were protruding, they might shift due to these factors. In contrast, recessed electrode contacts form a relatively stable structure with the electrode body deep within the brain, better resisting external interference and remaining in the intended position. This is similar to driving a nail into a board; a slightly recessed nail is less likely to be knocked off course than one that protrudes.

[0071] From an electrical perspective, recessed electrode contacts can optimize the distribution of the electric field to some extent. During deep brain stimulation, it is necessary to precisely control the range and intensity of the electric field to stimulate specific neural nuclei or pathways. Recessed electrode contacts allow the electric field to be more concentrated on the intended stimulation area, reducing unnecessary stimulation of surrounding non-target areas. This is similar to placing a light source inside a lampshade to focus the light and prevent scattering into areas that do not need illumination, thereby improving the precision and effectiveness of the stimulation.

[0072] For example, Figure 5f This diagram illustrates an implantable electrode with multiple electrode contacts that are respectively recessed and protruding, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 5f As shown, some of the electrode contacts 400 of the implantable electrode are recessed on the electrode body 501, while others may protrude from the electrode body 501. Therefore, in some embodiments, when the implantable electrode includes multiple electrode contacts, the multiple electrode contacts may be recessed and / or protrude from the electrode body.

[0073] The above descriptions are all exemplary and non-limiting, for example, the electrode contact point can not be limited to the structure similar to the trapezoidal body formed by the bottom surface and the side surface in the figure, and can also be other shapes or structures, such as a spoon type, an S type, a honeycomb shape, etc. Further description will be made below in combination with multiple drawings.

[0074] Further, the electrode contact point according to the embodiments of the utility model can not be limited to that all contact surfaces are concave or convex on the electrode main body, in other embodiments, the electrode contact point can be in a spoon type or S type shape, so that at least part of the contact surfaces of one electrode contact point can be concave and / or convex on the electrode main body. The at least part of the contact surfaces here can include at least one contact surface. For example, in some embodiments, at least one contact surface of the multiple contact surfaces of one electrode contact point can be concave or convex on the electrode main body. In other embodiments, part of the contact surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces of one electrode contact point are concave on the electrode main body, and the other part of the contact surfaces are convex on the electrode main body. In still other embodiments, at least one contact surface of the multiple contact surfaces of one electrode contact point can be both convex and concave on the electrode main body. For the convenience of understanding, the following will be described in combination with Figure 5g and Figure 5h for exemplary illustration.

[0075] For example, Figure 5g A schematic diagram of an implantable electrode including a spoon type electrode contact point is shown in some embodiments of the utility model. As shown in Figure 5g For example, the electrode contact point can include a fourth contact surface 406, a fifth contact surface 409, a sixth contact surface 407 and a seventh contact surface 408, the fourth contact surface 406, the fifth contact surface 409 and the sixth contact surface 407 of these contact surfaces are concave in the electrode main body 501, the seventh contact surface 408 is connected with the sixth contact surface 407 and extends in a direction away from the fifth contact surface 409, and the seventh contact surface 408 can be attached to the surface of the electrode main body 501, so that the cross-sectional shape of the electrode contact point after being cut in a direction perpendicular to the seventh contact surface 408 is a spoon type shape.

[0076] As further shown in Figure 5g The fifth contact surface 409 is towards a fifth direction F5, the fourth contact surface 406 is towards a sixth direction F6, the sixth contact surface 407 is towards a seventh direction F7, and the seventh contact surface 408 is towards an eighth direction F8. In some embodiments, the fifth direction F5 and the eighth direction F8 can both be the radial direction of the electrode main body 501, and the fifth direction F5, the sixth direction F6 and the seventh direction F7 are different directions.

[0077] It can be understood that in still other embodiments, part of the contact surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces can not be limited to Figure 5gThe electrode contact shown in the figure can be recessed on the electrode body, and can also be protruded on the electrode body, for example, the fourth contact surface 406, the fifth contact surface 409 and the sixth contact surface 407 can also be arranged to be protruded on the electrode body.

[0078] Figure 5h The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode including the S-shaped electrode contact according to another embodiment of the present application. As shown in the figure, Figure 5h As shown in the figure, part of the contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 are recessed on the electrode body 501, and the other part of the contact surfaces are protruded on the electrode body 501, so that the cross section or the whole of the electrode contact 400 is S-shaped. The electrode contact 400 can include two bottom surfaces and at least three side surfaces, one of which is used to connect the two bottom surfaces, and the two bottom surfaces can extend in opposite directions with the one side surface as the boundary surface. In another embodiment, one contact surface of the electrode contact 400 can be recessed and protruded on the electrode body 501 at the same time, for example, Figure 5h As shown in the figure, part of the eighth contact surface 410 is recessed on the electrode body 501, and the other part is protruded on the electrode body 501. That is, the eighth contact surface 410 can penetrate the surface of the electrode body 501.

[0079] Figure 6a The figure shows the schematic diagram of the electrode contact with the contact surfaces in a honeycomb shape according to some embodiments of the present application. Figure 6b The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode with the electrode contact shown in the figure. Figure 6a The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode with the electrode contact shown in the figure. Figure 6a As shown in the figure, the contact surfaces 403 of the electrode contact 400 can be distributed in a honeycomb shape. Each contact surface 403 can be, for example, a pentagon in the figure, or a hexagon, etc. The edges of the contact surfaces 403 can be connected or not connected. The included angle between each two adjacent contact surfaces 403 in the honeycomb shape can be obtuse. As shown in the figure, Figure 6b As shown in the figure, the implantable electrode 500 can include an electrode body 501 and one or more electrode contacts 400 mounted on the electrode body 501, wherein the contact surfaces of each electrode contact 400 are distributed in a honeycomb shape. According to such an arrangement, the stimulation direction of each electrode contact 400 is further increased, thereby further expanding the stimulation coverage of the implantable electrode.

[0080] Figure 7a The figure shows the schematic diagram of the electrode contact with the contact surfaces in a ring shape according to some embodiments of the present application. Figure 7b The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode with the electrode contact shown in the figure. Figure 7a The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode with the electrode contact shown in the figure. Figure 7c The figure shows the schematic diagram of the implantable electrode with the electrode contact shown in the figure. Figure 7b The figure shows the top view of the implantable electrode shown in the figure. In combination with the figure, Figures 7a-7cAs shown, the multiple contact surfaces 403 of the electrode contact 400 can be arranged in a ring, so that the back faces 404 of the multiple contact surfaces 403 enclose and form a hollow structure, facilitating the mounting of the electrode body 501 within it. Here, the ring arrangement of the multiple contact surfaces 403 can refer to a back-to-back ring arrangement. The back face of the contact surface can also be called the back side of the contact surface, that is, the side of the electrode contact facing the electrode body when it is mounted on the electrode body. Figure 7c The enclosed shape shown can form a circular ring shape, or it can form a ring shape with a polygonal cross-section. The back faces 404 of multiple contact surfaces 403 enclose and form a shape like... Figure 7c The circular shape shown can be manufactured using a one-piece molding process.

[0081] Multiple contact surfaces 403 are arranged in a ring to form electrode contacts 400 with a ring-shaped polyhedral structure, which can be directly fitted onto the electrode body 501 to form a structure such as Figure 7b The implantable electrode shown. The implantable electrode 500 may include one or more electrode contacts 400, for example... Figure 7b The three electrode contacts 400 shown are illustrated.

[0082] In comparison, for example Figure 1 The annular electrode shown in Figure (a) has a continuous, sheet-like contact structure. Therefore, the radial direction of this annular electrode contact can only simultaneously emit stimulation signals, resulting in electric field lines of a fixed shape and a field strength of a fixed intensity. Examples of embodiments of this utility model... Figure 7b Each contact surface of the implantable electrode shown can be used as a stimulation source independently. Therefore, stimulation parameters such as whether stimulation signals are emitted in different radial directions of the implantable electrode and the intensity of the emitted stimulation signals can be controlled, thereby providing more forms of electric field lines and field strength distributions.

[0083] The above combination Figures 7a-7c An exemplary description of an electrode contact with a ring-shaped three-dimensional structure and an implantable electrode has been provided. It is understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting. For example, the number of electrode contacts on an implantable electrode may not be limited to the three shown in the figure, and may be more or less as needed. The number of contact surfaces of the electrode contacts may not be limited to the six shown in the figure, and may also be more or less as needed. Furthermore, the electrode contacts may not be limited to only contact surfaces, but may also include, for example, chamfered surfaces. Further explanation follows.

[0084] Figure 8a A schematic diagram showing electrode contacts including chamfered surfaces according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 8b The installation is shown as follows Figure 8aA schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown. Figure 8c A schematic view of an implantable electrode with electrode contacts as shown. Figure 8b A top sectional view of an implantable electrode as shown. In conjunction with Figures 8a-8c As shown, the electrode contact 400 can include a plurality of contact surfaces 403, which can or can not be connected between each other. At least two of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can be metallic. The electrode contact 400 can further include a chamfer surface 405, which can be disposed at an exposed edge 802 of one or more of the contact surfaces 403. The exposed edge 802 here can be an edge of the contact surface 403 that is exposed, for example, an edge of the contact surface 403 that is not connected to or adjacent to an edge of another contact surface.

[0085] The chamfer surface 405 can be a flat surface, or a curved surface, etc. The number of chamfer surfaces 405 can be one or more. For example, if each of the contact surfaces 403 has two exposed edges in the illustration, then each of the contact surfaces 403 corresponds to two chamfer surfaces 405. In other embodiments, the chamfer surface 405 can be disposed at the exposed edge 802 of only one of the contact surfaces 403 as needed. In yet other embodiments, the chamfer surface 405 can be disposed at the exposed edge 802 of only one side of one of the contact surfaces 403 as needed.

[0086] In yet other embodiments, the chamfer surface 405 can also be disposed at the connection 801 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 (i.e., the connection 801 of each two adjacent contact surfaces 403 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403), so that the connection 801 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can be smoothly transitioned. The chamfer surface 405 can be disposed at each of the connections 801, or only at one or more of the connections 801 as needed.

[0087] By disposing the chamfer surface, the connection 801 and / or the exposed edge 802 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can be smoothly transitioned, so that the structure of the entire implantable electrode is more smooth and flat, which can prevent the implantable electrode from damaging the tissue when implanted in the tissue, and also avoid the uneven accumulation of electric charges at the edge and corner portions of the contact surface 403, which is conducive to ensuring the effective output of the stimulation signal.

[0088] It can be understood that the above description is exemplary and not limiting, for example, the chamfer surface 405 can not be limited to being disposed only on the electrode contact with a ring-shaped three-dimensional structure, but can also be disposed on other electrode contacts, for example Figures 4a-6b The electrode contact as shown is also applicable. Details are not repeated here. For example, the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can not be limited to being immediately adjacent to or connected to each other as shown in the illustration, but can also be disposed at intervals. Exemplary descriptions will be given below in conjunction with Figure 9 .

[0089] Figure 9This diagram illustrates an electrode contact according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 As shown, the electrode contact 400 may include multiple contact surfaces 403 and multiple chamfered surfaces 405. The electrode contact 400 may be a ring-shaped three-dimensional structure or a non-ring-shaped polyhedral structure. In some embodiments, a gap may exist between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces 403, and / or an insulating isolation layer 901 may be provided. In some embodiments, the insulating isolation layer 901 may be disposed within the gap. In other embodiments, both the insulating isolation layer 901 and a gap may be provided between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces 403. The insulating isolation layer 901 may be formed by filling the gap with insulating material, or it may be manufactured independently and then installed between the multiple contact surfaces.

[0090] At least two adjacent contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can be only two adjacent contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces, or they can be more than two adjacent contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces. For example, there can be a gap and / or an insulating isolation layer 901 between the adjacent edges of every two adjacent contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces. Adjacent edges can refer to the two edges that are closest to each other from two adjacent contact surfaces. In some embodiments, the material of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can all be metal.

[0091] At least two adjacent contact surfaces are separated by a gap and / or an insulating layer 901. Since charge movement occurs when a stimulation signal is emitted from the contact surface, separating adjacent contact surfaces effectively prevents them from interfering with each other when emitting stimulation signals.

[0092] Furthermore, in some embodiments, gaps and / or insulating layers may exist between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent chamfered surfaces 405. This arrangement facilitates the manufacturing of the electrode contacts 400; for example, the insulating layer 901 between adjacent contact surfaces and adjacent chamfered surfaces can be formed in one piece using an integral molding process, simplifying the manufacturing process and resulting in a smooth and flat overall structure for the electrode contacts.

[0093] It is understood that the electrode contacts shown in the illustrations are exemplary and not limiting. For example, it is not limited to providing gaps and / or insulating layers only between adjacent contact surfaces in electrode contacts that include chamfered surfaces, for example... Figures 4a-7c A gap and / or an insulating layer may also exist between adjacent contact surfaces of any of the electrode contacts described herein. Further details will not be elaborated here.

[0094] In another aspect, this invention also provides a nerve stimulation system, which may include the device described above.Figures 4a-9 The implantable electrode of any one of the electrode contacts. In some embodiments, the neural stimulation system can further include a stimulator, and each contact surface of the electrode contacts in the implantable electrode can be independently connected with the stimulator. Further descriptions will be made below in combination with Figure 10

[0095] Figure 10 A schematic block diagram of a neural stimulation system according to some embodiments of the present application is shown. As shown in Figure 10 The neural stimulation system 1000 can include a stimulator 1001 and an implantable electrode 500, where the stimulator 1001 can include a pulse generator or the like, and the implantable electrode 500 can include an electrode body 501 and one or more electrode contacts 400 mounted on the electrode body 501. The electrode contact 400 can include a plurality of contact surfaces, and the plurality of contact surfaces can face different directions, and each contact surface can be independently connected with the stimulator 1001 by being independently connected with a lead wire.

[0096] By independently connecting each contact surface with the stimulator 1001, the stimulation parameters of each contact surface can be independently controlled, so that different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can emit the same or different stimulation signals, or different electrode contacts 400 can emit the same or different stimulation signals. For example, in some scenarios, different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can be controlled to output stimulation current as positive and negative contacts, respectively. In other scenarios, one or more contact surfaces of one electrode contact 400 can be controlled as positive contacts, and one or more contact surfaces of another electrode contact 400 can be controlled as negative contacts, and the like. In yet other scenarios, different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can be controlled to output stimulation electric fields of the same or different intensities, or the contact surfaces of different electrode contacts 400 can be controlled to output stimulation electric fields of different intensities.

[0097] According to such a configuration, the diversity and flexibility of configuring the shape of the stimulation electric field lines and the field intensity distribution form can be increased, so that in a certain space, more comprehensive and three-dimensional field intensity and / or electric field line generation forms can be provided, which is beneficial to accelerating the depolarization process of neurons and improving the accuracy of target stimulation treatment.

[0098] ​The above description is exemplary rather than limiting, for example, the neural stimulation system according to embodiments of the present application can not be limited to only including the implantable electrode and the stimulator, and can also include other units / devices, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the neural stimulation system can also include a control unit, which can control the stimulator and / or the implantable electrode to control one or more contact surfaces of one or more electrode contacts of the implantable electrode to output a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the control unit can be built-in in the programmer.

[0099] In other embodiments, the control unit can be used to selectively activate one or more contact surfaces of at least one electrode contact of the implantable electrode according to the relative position of the implantable electrode and the target stimulation area. In some embodiments, the relative position of the implantable electrode and the target stimulation area can be determined by an imaging image (for example, a magnetic resonance image, a CT image, etc.). The relative position of the implantable electrode and the target stimulation area can include, for example, the distance between the implanted implantable electrode and the target stimulation area, the position of the implantable electrode in the target stimulation area, the distance between the electrode contact on the implantable electrode and the target stimulation area, the position of the electrode contact on the implantable electrode in the target stimulation area, etc.

[0100] According to the relative position of the implantable electrode and the target stimulation area, the electrode contact that can be covered by the target stimulation area can be selected for configuration. One or more contact surfaces of one electrode contact of the implantable electrode can be selected to be activated, or multiple electrode contacts of the implantable electrode can be selected to be activated, and one or more contact surfaces of each electrode contact can also be selectively activated. Here, activation refers to controlling the contact surface to output a stimulation signal, and a non-activated contact surface does not output a stimulation signal.

[0101] In yet other embodiments, the control unit can also be used to: measure the action potential caused by the stimulation generated by each contact surface or contact surface combination; determine the effective stimulation contact surface based on the measured action potential; and select the determined effective stimulation contact surface for subsequent stimulation. This operation can be implemented in the programming stage of the patient to determine the stimulation scheme.

[0102] Specifically, since each contact surface of the electrode contact in embodiments of the present application can be independently used as a stimulation source, each contact surface can be measured as a unit. The contact surface combination can include different contact surfaces from the same electrode contact, or can include contact surfaces from different electrode contacts. By using different contact surface combinations for stimulation output, the action potential under the corresponding stimulation is obtained. Here, the action potential can be achieved by measuring the electroencephalogram, the field potential, the impedance, etc. Then, based on the measured effective action potential, or abnormal action potential, etc., the contact surface capable of generating effective stimulation is determined. Based on this, subsequent stimulation and treatment can be performed.

[0103] In some scenarios, for example, in the programming stage, the stimulation signals generated by using different contact surface combinations can be used to determine whether an effective or abnormal action potential is generated according to the behavioral action of the patient, so as to determine the configuration of the effective contact surface. For example, when the behavioral action of the patient is improved, it indicates that the contact surface combination used at this time generates an effective action potential, so it can be determined that the current contact surface combination is the combination of effective contact surfaces. When the behavioral action of the patient is abnormal, it indicates that the contact surface combination used at this time generates an abnormal action potential, so that the patient has side effects, and therefore it can be determined that the current contact surface combination is not the combination of effective contact surfaces, and should not be used in subsequent stimulation and treatment.

[0104] In some embodiments, since each contact surface of the electrode contact can be controlled individually, different contact surfaces of the electrode contact can be allocated with weights of stimulation intensity to reduce stimulation to non-target areas. For ease of understanding, further description will be made below in combination with Figure 11 .

[0105] Figure 11 A partial schematic diagram of an implantable electrode according to some embodiments of the present application is shown. As shown in the figure, 50% of the stimulation intensity can be configured to the first contact surface 1101 of one stimulation contact in the figure, 20% of the stimulation intensity can be configured to the second contact surface 1102 of another stimulation contact, and 30% of the stimulation intensity can be configured to the third contact surface 1103 of the other stimulation contact. Figure 11 It can be understood that,

[0106] the weight allocation manner of the stimulation intensity shown in the figure is exemplary but not limited, for example, it can not be limited to allocation according to the weights of 50%, 20%, and 30%, but can also be allocated according to other weight values as needed. The number of contact surfaces for which the weights are allocated can not be limited to three in the figure, but a greater or smaller number of contact surfaces can be allocated with weights of stimulation intensity as needed. For example, it can not be limited to allocation of weights of stimulation intensity to different contact surfaces of two different stimulation contacts in the figure, but weights of stimulation intensity can be allocated to different contact surfaces of only one stimulation contact. Figure 11

[0107] ​The weight distribution of the stimulation intensity of different contact surfaces of the electrode contact can further increase the shape change and distribution range of the stimulation electric field field strength / electric field lines, thereby facilitating the activation of more structural and directional neurons. The weight distribution of the stimulation intensity of different contact surfaces can also achieve the purpose of moving away from the nucleus to be avoided or reducing the stimulation of the nucleus to be avoided (i.e., reducing the stimulation of the non-target region), thereby effectively reducing the risk of inducing side effects by stimulating the nucleus to be avoided. For example, for the nucleus of the non-target region near the implantation position of the implantable electrode, or for the actual implantation position of the implantable electrode deviating greatly from the predetermined implantation position, resulting in the actual implantation position being close to the nucleus to be avoided, the contact surface near the non-target region can be configured with a lower weight stimulation intensity to achieve the purpose of reducing stimulation. According to such a setting, the maximization of the stimulation effect and the minimization of the side effects can be achieved.

[0108] In summary, the electrode contact with a multi-surface three-dimensional structure provided by the embodiments of the present application has a plurality of contact surfaces capable of independently controlling stimulation parameters, and the plurality of contact surfaces are oriented in different directions, so that more field strength shapes and electric power line directions can be formed by selecting different contact surfaces and / or different contact surface combinations, thereby increasing the contact range of the electrode contact with different structural and directional neurons, so as to act on more neurons in a larger range, improve the utilization rate of electric charges, and improve the timeliness and effectiveness of the stimulation effect, thereby activating more neurons in a short time.

[0109] Although a plurality of embodiments of the present application have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided only by way of example. Those skilled in the art can think of many changes, modifications and alternatives without departing from the spirit and concept of the present application. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the present application described herein can be employed in practicing the present application. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of protection of the present application and thus cover equivalent or alternative solutions within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. An electrode contact, characterized by The electrode contact comprises: a plurality of contact surfaces, each of which can independently serve as a stimulation source, and at least two of the plurality of contact surfaces are respectively oriented in different directions, so that the electrode contact has a plurality of stimulation directions.

2. The electrode contact according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of contact surfaces comprise a bottom surface and at least two side surfaces, and an included angle between each side surface and the bottom surface is obtuse.

3. The electrode contact of claim 2, wherein, the plurality of contact surfaces further comprise an extension surface connected to at least one side surface and extending away from the bottom surface, so that a cross-sectional shape of the electrode contact in at least one direction is a spoon shape.

4. The electrode contact according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in a honeycomb shape; or at least part of the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in an S shape.

5. The electrode contact according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in a ring shape, so that back surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces form a hollow structure, and an electrode body is conveniently sleeved therein.

6. The electrode contact of claim 1, wherein The electrode contact further comprises: a chamfer surface arranged at a connection between the plurality of contact surfaces and / or an exposed edge of one or more contact surfaces.

7. The electrode contact according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein: a gap exists between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces, and / or an insulating isolation layer is arranged.

8. The electrode contact according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein: the plurality of contact surfaces are all planar; or at least one contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces is curved; or at least one contact surface of the plurality of contact surfaces has a concave-convex surface structure.

9. An implantable electrode, comprising: The implantable electrode comprises one or more electrode contacts according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A neural stimulation system, comprising: The implantable electrode according to claim 9.

11. The neurostimulation system of claim 10, wherein, The implantable electrode further comprises a stimulator, and each contact surface of the electrode contact of the implantable electrode is independently connected to the stimulator.

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