Ceramic Guide for Stable Wire Electrode Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques for inserting wire electrodes into small animal brains, such as rodents, cause significant tissue damage due to the rigidity of thick electrodes and require invasive procedures, leading to poor handling operability and stability issues.

Innovation Solution

A ceramic guide with a columnar body and a unique three-part structure, including a first portion, a second portion with a smaller diameter, and a third portion acting as a stopper, allows for the stable insertion and fixation of thin wire electrodes with reduced tissue burden, using a ceramic guide device and module that includes a connector for the electrode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a thick wire electrode is used to maintain rigidity, then the stiffness to pierce hard tissue is improved, but the damage to living tissues increases and handling operability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestiffness of wire electrodeVSAvoiddamage to living tissues

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a guiding component as an intermediary tool that is inserted into the brain tissue first, followed by the wire electrode. This mediator guides the electrode through the target position while the guiding component itself bears the mechanical stress of piercing the dura mater, allowing thin electrodes to be used without causing severe tissue damage while maintaining sufficient rigidity for the procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the insertion process into two separate stages: first inserting the guiding component to establish the path, then inserting the wire electrode through the guiding component. This segmentation allows the wire electrode to be thinner and more flexible, reducing tissue damage, while the guiding component provides the necessary structural support for piercing hard tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a thin wire electrode is used to minimize tissue damage, then the damage to living tissues is reduced, but the rigidity and handling operability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to living tissuesVSAvoidhandling operability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding component serves as a mediator that provides structural support during the insertion process. The thin wire electrode can be easily manipulated and inserted through the guiding component, which maintains the necessary rigidity for piercing hard tissue while allowing the electrode itself to remain thin and flexible, thus reducing tissue damage while maintaining handling operability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional guiding components are used, then the electrode can be inserted, but the dimension is large requiring craniotomy with manipulators and takes time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of electrode insertionVSAvoidprocedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the guiding component to be small in size, allowing it to be inserted through a small craniotomy without requiring large manipulators. This parameter change enables the guiding component to fit through a small opening in the skull, significantly reducing the time and complexity of the surgical procedure while maintaining the ability to guide the electrode to the target position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If guiding component is placed on the skull, then the electrode can be inserted, but the stability of electrodes in the living body is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of electrode insertionVSAvoidstability of electrodes

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the guiding component with the electrode by having the wire electrode inserted through and secured within the guiding component. This combination ensures that once the guiding component is stable in the brain tissue, the electrode remains stable as well, eliminating the instability issue while maintaining the ease of insertion through the small craniotomy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11944456B2Ceramic guide, ceramic guide device, and cermic guide module

Publication Date: 2024.04.02 KYOCERA CORP

AI summary

A ceramic guide device includes a columnar ceramic guide including a first portion including a first end, a second portion including a second end and having a smaller diameter than a diameter of the first portion, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, the columnar ceramic guide provided with an insertion hole through which a long wire electrode can be inserted from the first end to the second end; and the long wire electrode that penetrates through the insertion hole, the long wire electrode including a first protruding portion projecting from the first end, and a second protruding portion projecting from the second end.