Catheter-Delivered Intracranial Electrode Array Without Craniotomy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for accessing the brain, such as craniotomy and stereotactic neurosurgery, are invasive and pose risks like bleeding, infection, and prolonged recovery, limiting the use of minimally invasive systems for neurological disorders.
Innovation Solution
A transvenous, transdural, or transarterial intracranial electrode array device that is delivered via a flexible catheter, expanding intracranially to directly interface with brain tissue, using shape-memory materials or microactuators for deployment without burr holes or craniotomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If craniotomy and stereotactic neurosurgery are used to access the brain, then direct neural interface is achieved, but invasive risks and collateral damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses blood vessels as an intermediary conduit to deliver the electrode array to the brain. Instead of directly accessing the brain through craniotomy, the device is routed through the vascular system (e.g., carotid artery), which serves as a natural pathway that avoids external incisions and direct brain penetration, thereby reducing invasive risks and collateral damage while still achieving direct neural interface
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode array is nested within a delivery catheter that travels through the blood vessel. The catheter contains the compressed electrode array, which is then deployed from the catheter into the target brain region. This nested configuration allows the device to be delivered through a minimally invasive vascular access point while maintaining the capability for direct neural interfacing at the destination
2Reliability
If open neurosurgery is used for electrode implantation, then effective seizure control is achieved, but surgical invasiveness and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical open-surgery approach with a catheter-based delivery system. Instead of using surgical instruments that require craniotomy and direct manipulation, the electrode array is delivered through a flexible catheter that can be navigated through the vascular system and deployed at the target site, substituting complex mechanical surgery with a more streamlined endovascular approach that reduces invasiveness and recovery time while maintaining seizure control effectiveness
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
Enables minimally invasive access to the brain, reducing harm-to-benefit ratio, promoting early intervention, and improving outcomes for neurological disorders while minimizing collateral damage and recovery time.
Implementation Method 1
using shape-memory materials or microactuators for deployment
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed towards devices, methods, and related systems that are minutely-invasively delivered to the brain parenchyma, subdural or subarachnoid space where the devices, methods, and systems directly interface with central nervous system media (i.e., fluid or tissue) enabling detecting, sensing, measuring, stimulating, altering and/or modulating of the media or tissue surfaces.