Nerve Cuff with Angled Flap for Branching Nerves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nerve cuff systems face challenges in secure and consistent implantation, particularly in areas with branching nerves, due to difficulties in maneuvering and securing the distal conductive portion effectively.
Innovation Solution
The nerve cuff assembly features a distal cuff portion with a spine and a flap that can be angled to interpose between nerve branches, allowing for secure wrapping and positioning, along with notched portions to facilitate self-wrapping and retention, ensuring robust coupling to the nerve despite branching structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional electrical stimulation lead with a distal conductive portion is used, then the lead can be coupled to the nerve, but the maneuvering and securing of the distal conductive portion into the target position becomes difficult, especially in areas with branching nerves
Solution Approach 1:
The distal conductive portion is segmented into multiple functional components: a cuff body for wrapping the nerve, a spine for structural support and positioning, and flaps for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall structure easier to maneuver while ensuring reliable attachment through the specialized securing flaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The spine acts as an intermediary element between the cuff body and the nerve. It provides structural support that enables the cuff to be positioned accurately on the nerve while allowing the flaps to independently secure the cuff to the nerve surface, thereby facilitating both maneuvering and reliable attachment.
2Reliability
If the distal conductive portion is designed to wrap the nerve securely, then attachment reliability improves, but the complexity of maneuvering and positioning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cuff body, spine, and flaps are merged into a single integrated distal conductive portion assembly. This merging allows the structure to be manipulated as one unit during implantation, reducing the complexity of maneuvering while still providing reliable attachment through the combined functionality of all components working together.
Solution Approach 2:
The cuff body is designed with a curved, wraparound geometry that naturally conforms to the nerve surface. This curved design simplifies the wrapping action during implantation while ensuring secure attachment through the conformal contact between the cuff and nerve, reducing the need for complex positioning maneuvers.
3Manufacturing precision
If the nerve cuff is designed to fit between nerve branches, then positioning precision improves, but the difficulty of maneuvering into the target position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flaps are designed with asymmetric dimensions and configurations that correspond to the specific geometry of the nerve branches. This asymmetry allows the cuff to be precisely positioned between branches by matching the natural anatomy, while the asymmetric design also provides inherent guidance during maneuvering, reducing the difficulty of positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps are positioned at specific locations on the cuff body with locally optimized dimensions and angles. This local quality design allows precise fitting between nerve branches at the critical positioning area, while the rest of the cuff structure maintains simplified geometry for easy maneuvering during implantation.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode cuff includes a first elongate portion and a second elongate portion. The first elongate portion is configured to removably contact a length of a nerve while the second elongate portion extends outwardly at an angle relative to a first side edge of the first elongate portion to at least partially wrap about the nerve. The electrode cuff includes a first series of electrodes that is spaced apart longitudinally along the first elongate portion. A width of the second elongate portion is sized to fit between adjacent branches extending from a nerve.