IMPLANTABLE DEVICE FOR THE BRAIN

• US 20090124965A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert J., McClure, Kelly H., Mech, Brian V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,592,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37514 Brain implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention consists of an implantable device with at least one package that houses electronics that receives input data or signals, and optionally power, from an external system through at least one coil attached to the at least one package, processes the input data and delivers electrical pulses to neural tissue through at least one array of multiple electrodes that is/are attached to the at least one package. The invention, or components thereof, is/are intended to be installed in the head, or on or in the cranium or on the dura, or on or in the brain.

Claims

1. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation with greater than 30 electrodes.

2. The neural stimulator according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array includes more than 50 electrodes.

3. The neural stimulator according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array includes more than 75 electrodes.

4. The neural stimulator according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array includes more than 100 electrodes.

5. The neural stimulator according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array includes more than 200 electrodes.

6. A neural stimulator comprising:

A plurality of electrically coupled hermetic packages enclosing electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

7. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics; and

a thin film electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

8. The neural stimulator according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of thin film electrode arrays electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

9. A neural stimulator comprising:

a first hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a second hermetic package enclosing a demultiplexer electrically coupled to said electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said demultiplexer suitable for brain stimulation.

10. The neural stimulator according to claim 9, further comprising a battery with said first hermetic package.

11. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a coil electrically coupled to said electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

12. The neural stimulator according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of coils electrically coupled to said electronics.

13. The neural stimulator according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of coils, include a power coil and a data coil.

14. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a return electrode suitable to be located within the brain and electrically coupled to said electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

15. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a return electrode formed as part of said hermetic package and electrically coupled to said electronics; and

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation.

16. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics; and

an electrode array suitable for brain stimulation electrically coupled to said electronics and suitable to be attached to tissue.

17. The neural stimulator according to claim 16, wherein the tissue is a dura.

18. The neural stimulator according to claim 16, wherein the tissue is a cranium.

19. The neural stimulator according to claim 16, wherein the tissue is a scalp.

20. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation; and

an introducer attached to said electrode array.

21. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

an electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for brain stimulation; and

a three dimensional structure attached to said electrode array to increase stiffness.

22. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a surface electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for stimulation of a surface of the brain; and

A penetrating electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for recording from a depth within the brain.

23. A neural stimulator comprising:

a hermetic package enclosing electronics;

a penetrating electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for stimulation of a depth within the brain; and

A surface electrode array electrically coupled to said electronics suitable for recording from a surface of the brain.

24. An implantable device comprising:

an array of penetrating electrodes electrically coupled to said electronics where said array is flexible generally conforming to the surface of the brain such that said individual penetrating electrodes enter the tissue generally normal to the local surface of the tissue.

25. The implantable device of claim 24, wherein said array is electrically connected to a hermetic package enclosing electronics.

26. The implantable device of claim 25 wherein said device is intended for neural stimulation.

27. The implantable device of claim 25 wherein said device is intended for neural recording.

28. The implantable device of claim 24 wherein said penetrating electrodes are formed from biocompatible conductors.

29. The implantable device of claim 28 wherein said conductors are chosen from platinum, iridium, and alloy of platinum and iridium, activated iridium, tungsten, or titanium nitride.

30. The implantable device of claim 28 wherein some region of said penetrating electrode is passivated and some region is exposed.

31. The implantable device of claim 30 wherein said passivation is achieved through anodization, or chemical modification.

32. The implantable device of claim 30 wherein said passivation is achieved by applying a coating of a non-conductive biocompatible material

33. The implantable device of claim 32 wherein said biocompatible material is a polymer.

34. The implantable device of claim 33 wherein said polymer is epoxy, silicone, parylene, PTFE, or PEG.

35. An implantable device comprising:

an electrode array suitable for implantation in the human body with electrodes disposed on either side of the array.

36. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the array is electrically connected to a hermetic package enclosing electronics.

37. The implantable device of claim 36 wherein the implant is a neural stimulator.

38. The implantable device of claim 36 wherein the implant is a neural recorder.

39. The implantable device of claim 36 wherein the implant is capable of both neural stimulation and neural recording.

40. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the electrodes are generally planar.

41. The implantable device of claim 40 wherein the electrodes vary in shape.

42. The implantable device of claim 40 wherein the electrodes vary in size.

43. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the electrodes are protruding.

44. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the electrodes are penetrating.

45. The implantable device of claim 44 wherein the electrodes vary in shape.

46. The implantable device of claim 44 wherein the electrodes vary in length.

47. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the electrodes are penetrating on one side and generally planar on the opposite side.

48. The implantable device of claim 47 wherein the electrodes vary in shape.

49. The implantable device of claim 47 wherein the electrodes vary in size.

50. The implantable device of claim 47 wherein the penetrating electrodes vary in length.

51. The implantable device of claim 35 wherein the electrodes disposed on one side are electrically connected to metal traces that are in a different plane than the metal traces that are connected to electrodes on the opposite side.

52. An implantable device comprising:

A hermetic package enclosing electronics;

A flexible circuit electrode array, attached to said hermetic package, including a polymer base layer, metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, and a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; and

A plurality of protruding electrodes of varying length supported by said flexible circuit electrode array and electrically coupled to said traces.

53. The implantable device of claim 52, wherein said protruding electrodes are attached to said flexible circuit electrode array by conductive epoxy.

54. The implantable device of claim 52, wherein said protruding electrodes are individually attached to said flexible circuit electrode array.

55. The implantable device of claim 52, further comprising a substrate attaching said protruding electrodes together and attached to said flexible circuit electrode array.

56. An implantable device comprising:

A substrate having feedthroughs;

A flip chip bonded to said substrate; and

A cover hermetically sealed to said substrate enclosing said flip chip;

Wherein said implantable device is less than five millimeters in height.

57. The implantable device according to claim 56, further comprising a flange suitable to attached said implantable device to tissue, wherein said flange is less than one millimeter in height.

58. The implantable device according to claim 57, wherein said flange is preformed to on the surface of a cranium.

59. The implantable device according to claim 57, wherein said flange is preformed to fit on the surface of a dura.

60. An implantable device comprising:

A hermetic package enclosing electronics; and

A flexible circuit electrode array, attached to said hermetic package, including a polymer base layer, metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, and a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces;

wherein said flexible circuit electrode array is preformed to fit the surface of a gyrus.