Wireless Peripheral Stimulation Implant for Minimally Invasive Power Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical devices for nerve stimulation are large, invasive, and require frequent battery replacement, limiting their use in various applications due to size, cost, and lack of miniaturization and power efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A medical apparatus comprising an external system and an implantable system, where the external system transmits power and data to the implantable system, which includes an implantable antenna, receiver, functional element, controller, and energy storage, allowing for simplified implantation and enhanced flexibility in treating patients and recording data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If implantable devices are made large with batteries and long conduits, then they can deliver electrical energy effectively, but they require invasive implantation procedures and periodic battery replacement surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the battery and power management components from the implantable device, placing them in an external system. This allows the implantable portion to be miniaturized to a simple leadless stimulator that can be implanted minimally invasively, while still delivering electrical energy through wireless power transfer from the external battery-containing system
Solution Approach 2:
The external system serves multiple functions: it contains the battery, provides wireless power transmission to the implantable device, and can communicate data bidirectionally. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components, enabling the implantable device to be simplified and miniaturized
2Ease of manufacture
If implantable devices are miniaturized for less invasive procedures, then implantation becomes simpler, but power efficiency and duration of action are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the power source (battery) from the implantable device and placing it in the external system, the patent enables miniaturization of the implantable portion while maintaining adequate power supply capacity in the external system, thus resolving the contradiction between device size and power efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic wireless power transmission from the external system to the implantable device, allowing the miniaturized implantable device to accumulate sufficient energy for stimulation episodes without requiring a large internal battery, thus maintaining power efficiency while enabling miniaturization
3Duration of action of moving object
If implantable devices include batteries and long conduits, then they can provide sustained stimulation, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex power management and battery components from the implantable device, placing them in the external system. This reduces the implantable device to a simple leadless stimulator with minimal components, significantly reducing device complexity while the external system provides sustained power for prolonged stimulation duration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless electromagnetic field transmission as an intermediary mechanism between the external power source and the implantable device. This intermediary enables power and data transfer without physical conduits, simplifying the device structure while maintaining sustained operation capability through the external power source
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
Enables miniaturized, efficient, and less invasive nerve stimulation for treating chronic diseases and conditions, such as neuropathy and pain, with reduced surgical intervention and improved patient data recording capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an external antenna configured to transmit a first transmission signal to the implantable system
Implementation Method 2
an implantable antenna configured to receive the first transmission signal from the first external device
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are methods of treating a patient comprising providing a medical apparatus comprising an external system and an implantable system, implanting the implantable system, and delivering at least one of power or data to the implantable system with the external system. The external system comprises: at least one external antenna configured to transmit a first transmission signal to the implantable system; an external transmitter configured to drive the at least one external antenna; an external power supply; and an external controller. The implantable system comprises: at least one implantable antenna configured to receive the first transmission signal from the first external device; an implantable receiver; at least one implantable functional element configured to interface with the patient; an implantable controller; an implantable energy storage assembly; and an implantable housing surrounding at least the implantable controller and the implantable receiver. Medical apparatus are also provided.