FOLDABLE, IMPLANTABLE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND TOOL FOR IMPLANTING SAME

• US 20110077660A1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Staunton, John J. Janik, Robert A. Brindley, Timothy J. Bozung
• Original Assignee: Douglas Staunton, John J. Janik, Robert A. Brindley, Timothy J. Bozung
• Inventors: Staunton, Douglas, Janik, John J., Bozung, Timothy J., Brindley, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy

Abstract

An electrode array assembly with a frame that is foldable or bendable on which electrodes are disposed. The frame includes laterally spaced apart bridges. Tabs extend laterally outwardly from the bridges Electrodes are disposed on the tabs. Beams, also part of the frame, extend between the laterally adjacent bridges. The frame can be folded around the beams so as to cause the laterally spaced bridges to at least partially overlap. When the beams are so bent, the electrode carrying tabs extend beyond the bent beams.

Claims

1. An electrode array for implantation against living tissue, said electrode array including;

a frame formed from flexible material, said frame having an outer perimeter and shaped to define within the outer perimeter of the frame a plurality of openings through the frame so that said frame includes;

a plurality of spaced apart tabs, wherein at least two said tabs are laterally spaced apart from each other; and

at least one beam, that is separate from said tabs that extends laterally at least partially across said frame across a distance subtended by at least one tab so as to connect two laterally spaced apart sections of said frame from which adjacent, laterally spaced apart tabs extend wherein, said beam can be folded so to result in the at least partial overlapping of the two laterally spaced apart sections of said frame from which the laterally adjacent tabs extend; and

a plurality of electrodes, each said electrode formed being formed from biocompatible material through which a current can be sourced to or sunk from tissue against which said electrodes are disposed, wherein said electrodes are disposed on said frame.

2. The electrode array of claim 1 wherein said frame is further formed so that the frame openings define:

plural columns of said tabs disposed within the outer perimeter of said frame, each said column having plural longitudinally spaced apart tabs on which said electrodes are disposed, wherein the columns of said frame tabs are laterally spaced apart from each other; and

plural said beams, said beams extending between two laterally adjacent columns of said frame tabs, wherein at least one said beam is located between two longitudinally spaced apart tabs, said beams being bendable wherein, as a consequence of bending said frame about said beams located between the two laterally adjacent columns, said electrode-carrying tabs of the laterally adjacent columns at least partially overlap.

3. The electrode array of claim 1, wherein said frame is further formed so that the frame openings define:

plural spaced apart bridges that extend from a proximal end of said frame to a distal end of said frame, said bridges being laterally spaced apart from each other across said frame, wherein a plurality of said tabs extend outwardly from each said bridge, said tabs integral with each said bridge being longitudinally spaced apart from each other along the said bridge;

plural said beams, wherein said beams extend between said bridges and said beams being longitudinally spaced apart from each other along said frame so that said frame can be bent around said beams so as to cause said bridges to at least partially overlap.

4. The electrode array of claim 1, wherein:

said frame is formed from metal;

electrically insulating material is disposed over said frame, including said tabs; and

said electrodes are disposed on the electrically insulating material.

5. The electrode array of claim 1, wherein:

at least one control module is mounted to said frame; and

electrical conductors disposed on said frame extend from said at least one control module to said electrodes.

6. The electrode array of claim 1, wherein:

said frame is formed from metal;

electrically insulating material is disposed over said frame, including said tabs;

a control module is attached to said frame, said control module being encased in an electrically insulating shell;

said electrodes are disposed on the electrically insulating material disposed over said tabs; and

conductors extend from said at least one control module through said electrically insulating material to said electrodes.

7. The electrode array of claim 6, wherein said control module is disposed over said frame.

8. The electrode array of claim 1, wherein said at least one beam is formed from material capable of storing potential energy, so that, after the folding of said beam, the potential energy in said beam will release so as to cause said at least one beam to unfold.

9. An electrode array, said electrode array including:

a frame formed from flexible material, said frame shaped to define;

a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart bridges;

a plurality of tabs, said tabs extending outwardly from one of said bridges wherein;

plural longitudinally spaced apart tabs extend outwardly from each said bridge;

said tabs extending outwardly from said bridges so that plural said tabs extend outwardly from a first one of said bridges towards a second one of said bridges and plural said tabs extend outwardly from the second one of the said bridges towards the first one of said bridges; and

said tabs that extend outwardly from the first said bridge are separate from said tabs that extend outwardly from the second said bridge; and

a plurality of beams that are separate from and said tabs, said beams extending laterally across said frame so as to connect said bridges together, wherein said frame can be bent around said beams so as a result of the bending, the said first bridge at least partially overlaps the second said bridge; and

a plurality of electrodes, each said electrode being formed from biocompatible material through which a current can be sourced to or sunk from tissue against which the electrodes are disposed, said electrodes being disposed on said frame tabs.

10. The electrode array of claim 9, wherein at least one said beam extends between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the first said bridge to a location on the second said bridge that is between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the second said bridge.

11. The electrode array of claim 9, wherein a plurality of said beams extend between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the first said bridge to locations on the second said bridge that are between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the second said bridge.

12. The electrode array of claim 9, wherein:

a plurality of said beams extends between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the first said bridge to locations on the second said bridge that are between two longitudinally spaced tabs that extend from the second said bridge, and said beams are, along said frame, longitudinally spaced apart from each other so as to define a void space between said beams; and

a flexible membrane extends between said beams across the void space between said beams.

13. The electrode array of claim 9, wherein at least said beams are formed from material capable of storing potential energy, so that after the folding of said beams, the potential energy in the beams will release so as to cause said beams to unfold.

14. The electrode array of claim 9 wherein said frame is further formed so that at least one said bridge is further formed to have tabs that extend outwardly away from a laterally adjacent said bridge.

15. An electrode array for implantation against living tissue, said electrode array including;

a frame formed from flexible metal, said frame having an outer perimeter and shaped to define within the outer perimeter of the frame a plurality of openings through the frame so that said frame includes;

a plurality of spaced apart tabs, wherein at least two said tabs are laterally spaced apart from each other; and

at least one beam that is separate from said tabs, said at least one beam extends laterally along at least partially across said frame so as to connect two laterally spaced apart sections of said frame from which adjacent laterally spaced apart tabs extend, wherein said frame can be bent around said at least one beam so as to result in at least two said tabs at least partially overlapping;

a layer of electrically insulating material disposed over a portion of said frame, including said tabs;

a plurality of electrodes, each said electrode being formed from biocompatible material through which a current can be sourced to or sunk from tissue against which the electrodes are disposed, wherein said electrodes are disposed on said frame tabs;

electrical conductors that extend to said electrodes, said conductors being disposed in the said electrically insulating material.

16. The electrode array of claim 15, wherein at least one said electrical conductor extends at least partially over said frame, said conductor being separated from said frame by said electrically insulating material.

17. The electrode array of claim 15, wherein:

said electrically insulating material disposed over said frame extends beyond said frame to form a pad;

a control module is bonded to said pad; and

at least some said conductors extend through said pad from said control module through said pad to said electrodes.

18. The electrode array of claim 15, wherein said frame is formed from a nickel titanium alloy.

19. The electrode array of claim 15 wherein at least one beam is formed from material capable of storing potential energy, so that, after the folding of said beam, the potential energy in said beam will release so as to cause said at least one beam to unfold.

20. The electrode array of claim 15, wherein:

said frame is further formed to define a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart bridges and;

said tabs extend outwardly from said bridges wherein a plurality of said tab extend outwardly from a first one of said bridges towards a second one of said bridges and a plurality of said tabs extend outwardly from the second one of the said bridges to the first one of said bridges; and

said tabs that extends outwardly from the first said bridge is separate from said tabs that extends outwardly from the second said bridge; and

there are a plurality of said beams, said beams extending laterally across said frame so as to connect said bridges together;

said electrical insulating material is disposed over said bridges; and

at least some said conductors are disposed over said bridges so as to extend between bridge segments that are located between said tabs.

21. An electrode array and deployment assembly, including:

an access cannula consisting of a structural member formed from material that is insertable in living tissue, the member shaped to define a lumen having a major diameter and a distal end, the lumen open at the distal end; and

an electrode array including;

a frame formed from flexible material that can be folded or rolled and that, when able to expand from a folded or rolled state, returns to an unfolded or unrolled state, wherein said frame has a width greater than the major diameter of the access cannula lumen and wherein said carrier is folded or rolled so as to be disposed in the access cannula lumen, said frame further formed to define at least one tab that is part of the frame and that is separated from surrounding sections of the frame; and

at least one electrode disposed on said at least one frame tab, and

wherein said frame is rolled or folded so as to be disposed in the access cannula lumen, and when said frame is s rolled or folded said at least one electrode carrying tab is less folded or rolled relative to the extent the surrounding sections of said frame are folded or rolled.

22. An electrode array and deployment assembly, said assembly including:

an access cannula consisting of an outer structural member formed from material insertable in living tissue, the outer structural member shaped to define a lumen and a distal end, the lumen open adjacent the structural member distal end;

a deployment cannula disposed in the lumen of the access cannula, said deployment cannula having a lumen and a distal end opening, said deployment cannula being disposed in the lumen of the outer structural member to be discharged from the lumen opening and that so that during the discharge, the deployment cannula can be rotated; and

an electrode array assembly including;

a frame; and

at least one electrode disposed on the frame; and

wherein the electrode assembly is disposed in the lumen of the access cannula, said electrode array assembly being disposed in the lumen of said deployment cannula for discharge from the distal end opening of the deployment cannula lumen, said electrode assembly being seated in the deployment cannula lumen to rotate with said deployment cannula so that the rotation of said deployment cannula results in a rotation of the electrode assembly prior to the discharge of the electrode assembly from said deployment cannula.