Vascular Deep Brain Stimulation Electrode Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures involve significant surgical risks, including bleeding, stroke, infection, collateral brain damage, and side effects from improper electrode placement, along with inefficiencies in targeting the correct brain regions for therapeutic stimulation.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a combination of electrodes positioned in adjacent vascular locations in the brain to triangulate the region of interest, applying stimulation energy to various electrode combinations to identify the optimal target combination that affects the desired brain activity, monitored by accelerometers and neural network algorithms to adjust therapy effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional DBS procedures are used to implant electrodes in the brain, then therapeutic stimulation can be achieved, but surgical risks including bleeding, stroke, infection, and collateral brain damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses blood vessels as an intermediary pathway to deliver electrodes to the brain. Instead of directly penetrating brain tissue through the skull, the electrodes are advanced through the vascular system (jugular vein -> carotid artery -> brain blood vessels) to reach the target area. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for direct surgical penetration of the cranium and brain tissue, thereby reducing surgical risks while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical surgical approach (drilling holes in the skull and manually positioning electrodes) with a vascular-based delivery system. The electrodes are transported through the bloodstream rather than being mechanically inserted through surgical openings. This substitution eliminates the mechanical trauma of skull penetration and manual tissue manipulation, reducing surgical complications while achieving the same therapeutic goal.
2Reliability
If conventional DBS procedures are used to position electrodes in the area of interest, then therapeutic effect can be achieved, but multiple surgical attempts and trial-and-error positioning are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary mapping and planning before the actual electrode implantation. The vascular anatomy and target brain regions are pre-identified and mapped, allowing the electrode trajectory and positioning to be predetermined. This preliminary action eliminates the need for trial-and-error positioning during surgery, as the optimal electrode location is already determined through pre-surgical planning and vascular navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses vascular imaging (such as angiography) to create a copy or representation of the vascular anatomy and brain structure. This visual copy allows the surgical team to plan the electrode pathway and target location without physically manipulating the brain tissue. The vascular map serves as a guide that replicates the anatomical information, enabling precise electrode positioning without repeated surgical attempts.
3Reliability
If conventional DBS procedures are used to insert the device through the cranium, then electrodes can be positioned in the brain, but collateral damage to brain tissue occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses blood vessels as an intermediary channel to deliver electrodes to the brain. The electrodes travel through the vascular system (jugular vein -> carotid artery -> brain vessels) rather than penetrating the cranium and brain tissue directly. This intermediary pathway allows electrode implantation without creating physical trauma or collateral damage to the brain tissue, as the vessels serve as a natural conduit that avoids direct tissue penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the electrode delivery function from the surgical penetration process. Instead of inserting electrodes through surgical openings in the cranium, the delivery mechanism is extracted and relocated to the vascular system. The electrodes are transported through the bloodstream, separating the implantation function from the traumatic surgical penetration, thereby eliminating collateral damage while maintaining the ability to position electrodes in the brain.
4Reliability
If multiple electrode combinations are tested to identify the optimal target, then therapeutic efficacy can be optimized, but the complexity of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms to evaluate the effect of different electrode combinations on brain activity. By monitoring the response to stimulation (such as changes in neural signals or clinical symptoms), the system can identify which electrode combinations produce the desired therapeutic effect. This feedback approach automates the optimization process, reducing the manual complexity of testing multiple combinations while maintaining high therapeutic efficacy.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention involves methods of stimulating tissue using one or more series of electrodes to apply energy through a combination of electrodes to stimulate various regions within an area of interest. Such an approach can triangulate areas where stimulation and/or treatment is needed for deep brain stimulation (DBS). In addition, the triangulation system and methods described herein can be applied to any portion of a body where stimulation of a particular area is required while using the vascular network to access tissue surrounding that particular area so that a combination of electrodes can be used to identify the region of interest that requires stimulation.