Cuff Electrode Selective Nerve Stimulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for sleep disordered breathing, such as obstructive sleep apnea, face challenges in selectively stimulating airway-patency-related nerves like the hypoglossal nerve to improve airway patency without stimulating non-targeted nerve branches, leading to inadequate muscle responses and potential discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A cuff electrode with a unique electrode array configuration, featuring axially and circumferentially oriented electrodes, provides selective stimulation profiles by using a guarded cathode arrangement and hyperpolarization to exclude non-targeted nerve branches, ensuring targeted nerve branches are adequately depolarized for improved airway patency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cuff electrode is used to stimulate airway-patency-related nerves, then muscle responses for airway patency are enhanced, but non-targeted nerve branches may be stimulated causing unwanted effects
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode array is divided into multiple independently controllable electrode segments arranged axially and circumferentially. This segmentation allows selective activation of specific electrode combinations to target particular nerve branches while excluding others, thereby improving stimulation selectivity and reducing unwanted effects on non-targeted nerves.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the electrode array are configured with distinct electrode arrangements and stimulation characteristics. By applying localized stimulation patterns to specific electrode segments, the system can selectively activate target nerve branches while minimizing stimulation of adjacent non-targeted branches, thus enhancing reliability and reducing harmful effects.
2Productivity
If electrical stimulation is applied to improve airway patency, then muscle responses are enhanced, but inadequate selectivity leads to potential discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The stimulation system dynamically adjusts electrode activation patterns, amplitudes, and pulse parameters based on real-time feedback and treatment requirements. This dynamic control enables optimization of muscle responses for airway patency while minimizing discomfort by adapting stimulation to individual patient anatomy and response characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system varies multiple stimulation parameters including voltage amplitude, pulse width, frequency, and electrode combination to achieve effective airway patency improvement. By changing these parameters, the system can enhance therapeutic effectiveness while reducing unwanted stimulation effects that cause patient discomfort.
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 cuff electrode effectively enhances muscle responses for airway patency by selectively stimulating the hypoglossal nerve, reducing unwanted stimulation of non-targeted branches, thereby improving sleep quality and airway management during sleep.
Implementation Method 1
ensuring targeted nerve branches are adequately depolarized for improved airway patency
Implementation Method 2
using a guarded cathode arrangement andhyperpolarization to exclude non-targeted nerve branches
Data Source
AI summary
A cuff electrode includes at least an array of electrodes to extend circumferentially about a nerve, and methods of making and using a cuff electrode.