Articulated neural electrode assembly
First Claim
1. An articulated electrode assembly, said assembly comprising:
- at least three electrode paddles, each electrode paddle positioned adjacent another electrode paddle and comprising;
a support member;
a set of electrical contacts carried by said support member for contacting a patient; and
an electrical lead wire at least partially carried by said support member and coupled to at least one electrical contact; and
at least one coupling member positioned between each set of adjacent sides of said at least three electrode paddles and having a narrowed portion relative to said adjacent sides so as to aid in the decoupling of said electrode paddles from one another wherein said electrical wires carried by said support members are of different lengths relative to one another thereby facilitating different spacing between the electrode paddles when uncoupled.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses, devices, and/or systems that may be configured for placement at one or more cortical and/or other neuroanatomical sites to provide electrical stimulation and/or monitor neuroelectric activity within a patient. In one embodiment, an implantable articulated electrode assembly may include an array of electrodes or electrical contacts carried by a support member configured to be implanted or positioned relative to a set of neuroanatomical sites. Various embodiments of the articulated electrode assemblies may comprise multiple portions, segments, paddles, and/or panels having spatially divergent placement capabilities in relation to one another. Such segments or panels may be positioned in a variety of manners relative to each other and/or one or more neuroanatomical sites or locations, which may facilitate establishment of an intended type of stimulation field distribution and/or monitoring configuration.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An articulated electrode assembly, said assembly comprising:
-
at least three electrode paddles, each electrode paddle positioned adjacent another electrode paddle and comprising; a support member; a set of electrical contacts carried by said support member for contacting a patient; and an electrical lead wire at least partially carried by said support member and coupled to at least one electrical contact; and at least one coupling member positioned between each set of adjacent sides of said at least three electrode paddles and having a narrowed portion relative to said adjacent sides so as to aid in the decoupling of said electrode paddles from one another wherein said electrical wires carried by said support members are of different lengths relative to one another thereby facilitating different spacing between the electrode paddles when uncoupled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An articulated electrode assembly, said assembly comprising:
-
a set of paddles, each paddle positioned adjacent another electrode paddle and comprising; a support member; a set of electrical contacts carried by the support member for contacting a patient; and a set of electrical leads comprising at least one electrical lead wire, each electrical lead wire being coupled to an electrical contact, and each electrical lead wire at least partially carried by at least one support member at least one coupling member positioned between adjacent sides of said set of paddles and holding said set of paddles spaced from one another, said coupling member being narrower in dimension than said adjacent paddles sides and having a perforated portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An implantable electrical system, said system comprising:
-
(a) an articulated electrode assembly, said assembly comprising; at least three electrode paddles, each electrode paddle positioned adjacent another paddle and comprising; a support member; a set of electrical contacts carried by said support member for contacting a patient; and at least one coupling member positioned between each set of adjacent sides of said at least three electrode paddles and having a narrowed portion relative to said adjacent sides so as to aid in the decoupling of said electrode paddles from one another; and (b) a pulse generating device; and (c) a set of lead wires, each wire of said set at least partially carried by one of said support members and coupling at least one electrical contact of each paddle to said pulse generating device, wherein said electrical wires carried by said support members are of different lengths relative to one another thereby facilitating different spacing between electrode paddles when uncoupled; (d) wherein said articulated electrode assembly, pulse generating device and set of lead wires are dimensioned and configured for implantation within a patient and comprised of biocompatible materials.
-
-
21. A method for implanting a neural electrode assembly within a patient, said method comprising:
-
determining a set of neural target sites; providing access to said target sites; physically decoupling a set of coupling members spanning between a set of paddles whereby said decoupling provides for paddle detachment and separation from each other;
said paddles having a set of electrical contacts; and
implanting each of said paddles relative to the target sites. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification