Intravascular Flexible Electrode Sheet With Antithrombotic Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrode-based biosignal measurement technologies face challenges in achieving high-resolution tissue activity measurement and fine stimulation application while minimizing invasiveness to the living body, particularly due to the use of metal wires and the need for craniotomy.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, sheet-shaped functional device with a small diameter is indwelled inside a blood vessel, featuring a substrate with functional parts and wiring covered by an antithrombotic material, allowing for high-resolution biosignal measurement and stimulation application without significant invasiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal wire is used as the core material for the electrode, then the electrode can be indwelled inside a blood vessel, but the invasiveness to the living body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional metal wire core with a flexible substrate that has sheet-like or film-like structure. This flexible substrate can be indwelled inside blood vessels with minimal invasiveness while maintaining the electrode's functional capability. The thin-film structure reduces mechanical trauma to the blood vessel wall compared to rigid metal wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures where the flexible substrate is combined with conductive materials, antithrombotic coatings, and insulating layers. This composite approach allows the electrode to achieve both flexibility for low-invasiveness indwelling and electrical conductivity for signal measurement, while the antithrombotic coating prevents blood clots.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the electrode is disposed outside the cranium, then the invasiveness to the living body is reduced, but the distance from the biosignal generating portion increases, making it difficult to measure tissue activity with high resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate enables the electrode to be positioned close to the biosignal generating tissue (such as the brain surface) while maintaining a configuration that can be introduced through minimally invasive routes. The thin-film structure allows the electrode to conform to the tissue surface, achieving high measurement resolution without requiring craniotomy or deep brain penetration.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible sheet-shaped substrate is used instead of a metal wire, then the invasiveness to the living body is reduced, but the risk of vascular occlusion due to thrombi formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies an antithrombotic coating to the flexible substrate, which converts the potential harmful effect of thrombi formation into a controlled condition. The antithrombotic material prevents blood clot formation on the electrode surface, allowing the flexible substrate to remain indwelled in blood vessels without causing vascular occlusion, thus maintaining both low invasiveness and safety.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the functional device is made thin and flexible to navigate blood vessels, then the invasiveness is reduced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate is constructed as a composite material structure that combines materials with different properties to achieve both thinness/flexibility and structural strength. The composite structure allows the device to be thin enough for minimal invasiveness while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength to withstand blood flow forces and maintain its functional configuration during indwelling.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
Provided is a functional device that enables at least one among measuring the activity of tissue of a living body with high resolution and applying fine stimulation to tissue of a living body, while being minimally invasive. This functional device 1 is indwelled inside a blood vessel of a living body and performs at least one among measurement of the activity of tissue outside the blood vessel and stimulation to the tissue. The functional device 1 comprises: a sheet-like flexible substrate 3; at least one functional part formed on the substrate 3; and a wiring 12 formed on the substrate 3 and connected to the functional part, wherein at least one among at least a portion of the surface of the substrate 3 and at least a portion of the surface of the functional part is covered with an antithrombotic material.