Adjustable Nerve Electrode Minimizing Onset Response via Dynamic Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nerve electrodes with fixed geometries cause undesired side effects such as tissue damage and extreme pain due to their design, which leads to suboptimal results in nerve blocking applications, as they fail to minimize the onset response and maintain a high-frequency alternating current (HFAC) block effectively.
Innovation Solution
Development of adjustable nerve electrodes with configurable geometric parameters, such as contact surface area, shape, distance, and orientation, which can be reconfigured to minimize onset response and maintain HFAC nerve block, using remote electrical switches or control programs to optimize electrode geometry for different phases of nerve conduction blocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fixed electrodes are used for nerve blocking, then the electrode structure is simple, but tissue damage and undesired side effects occur due to fixed geometry that cannot minimize onset response
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode geometry is made dynamically adjustable through remote electrical switches that can reconfigure the electrode contacts between different geometric configurations. This allows the electrode to adapt its shape, contact surface area, and orientation to minimize onset response and prevent tissue damage while maintaining HFAC block effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode system changes its geometric parameters (contact surface area, contact spacing, orientation) electrically controlled to optimize performance. By varying these parameters, the electrode can minimize the block threshold and reduce harmful effects like tissue damage and onset response without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fixed electrodes are used, then manufacturing is simple, but the onset response cannot be minimized leading to extreme pain and suboptimal results
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode incorporates electrically switchable contacts that can be remotely controlled to change geometric configuration. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the same electrode to present different contact geometries optimized for minimizing onset response, eliminating the need for multiple fixed electrode designs with different geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
A single electrode design serves multiple functions by electrically reconfiguring its contact geometry. The same electrode can be adjusted to minimize onset response, maintain HFAC block, and adapt to different nerve sizes, replacing what would traditionally require multiple specialized electrode types.
3Use of energy by moving object
If conventional fixed electrodes are used for HFAC block, then the design is straightforward, but power consumption is high due to increased block threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode electrically adjusts its geometric parameters to optimize the electric field distribution and minimize the block threshold. By changing contact surface area, spacing, and orientation, the electrode reduces the HFAC amplitude required to achieve block, thereby lowering power consumption and energy requirements.
4Reliability
If conventional fixed electrodes are used, then the electrode geometry is constant, but the HFAC block cannot be effectively maintained due to suboptimal design
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system dynamically reconfigures its geometry to maintain optimal HFAC block conditions. By electrically switching between different contact configurations, the electrode can adapt to changes in nerve position, size, or physiological state, ensuring reliable and sustained block effectiveness throughout the procedure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable electrodes reduce tissue damage and power consumption by minimizing the block threshold, allowing for reliable and repetitive HFAC nerve blocks with minimal onset response, making the technology more viable for clinical applications by preventing extreme pain and facilitating safer stimulation protocols.
Implementation Method 1
Conventional nerve blocks that prevent the propagation of an action potential through a nerve have been achieved using high frequency alternating current (HFAC)
Data Source
AI summary
Example adjustable electrodes are described. One example adjustable electrode includes two or more contacts configured to selectively deliver high frequency alternating current (HFAC) to a nerve in an amount sufficient to produce an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve. The example adjustable electrode may also include a logic configured to selectively control which of the two or more contacts deliver HFAC to the nerve to control whether the nerve electrode is in a first (e.g., onset response mitigating) configuration or in a second (e.g., HFAC nerve conduction block maintenance) configuration. The electrode may be used in applications including, but not limited to, nerve block applications, and nerve stimulation applications. The electrode may be adjusted by changing attributes including, but not limited to, the number, length, orientation, distance between, surface area, and distance from a nerve of contacts to be used to deliver the HFAC.