Neural channel bridge aided by a micro-electronic system
First Claim
1. A method using a micro-electronic system (MES) for the regeneration of the sensory, motorial, or visceral signals of injured, broken or diseased nerves of a mammal, the system comprising downward and upward channels configured to bridge injured motorial and sensory neural channels, the method comprising:
- contacting at least a first electrode array onto an upper portion of a nerve stump which includes at least a first motorial nerve for carrying motorial neural signals and at least a first sensory nerve for carrying sensory neural signals;
contacting at least a second electrode array onto a lower portion of the nerve stump which includes at least a second motorial nerve for carrying motorial neural signals and at least a second sensory nerve for carrying sensory neural signals;
connecting at least a downward channel to the first and second electrode arrays;
using the downward channel to detect, to amplify, and to recognize motorial signals from the first motorial nerve;
generating motorial Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) signals related to the detected motorial signals;
supplying the motorial FES signals to the second electrode array on the lower nerve stump, so that the detected motorial neural signals can be regenerated and an injured motorial neural channel can be bridged;
connecting at least an upward channel to the first and second electrode arrays;
detecting and processing sensory neural signals from the second sensory nerve;
generating sensory FES signals related to the detected sensory neural signals; and
supplying the sensory FES signals through the first electrode array to the first sensory nerve, so that an injured neural sensory channel can be bridged.
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Abstract
Methods and equipment used to regenerate sensory, motorial, or visceral signals of injured, broken or diseased nerves of mammalia, such as humans, are provided. In some embodiments, a lineup of downward and upward channels to bridge injured neural channels is disclosed. The downward or upward channels can be connected to electrodes which are in contact with upper or lower nerve stumps. The channels can be used to detect, amplify, and recognize the motorial or sensory signals, to generate related Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) signals, and to supply the FES signals to the electrodes on the lower or upper nerve stumps. Neural signals can thus be regenerated and the injured motorial or sensory channels can be bridged.
10 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method using a micro-electronic system (MES) for the regeneration of the sensory, motorial, or visceral signals of injured, broken or diseased nerves of a mammal, the system comprising downward and upward channels configured to bridge injured motorial and sensory neural channels, the method comprising:
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contacting at least a first electrode array onto an upper portion of a nerve stump which includes at least a first motorial nerve for carrying motorial neural signals and at least a first sensory nerve for carrying sensory neural signals; contacting at least a second electrode array onto a lower portion of the nerve stump which includes at least a second motorial nerve for carrying motorial neural signals and at least a second sensory nerve for carrying sensory neural signals; connecting at least a downward channel to the first and second electrode arrays; using the downward channel to detect, to amplify, and to recognize motorial signals from the first motorial nerve; generating motorial Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) signals related to the detected motorial signals; supplying the motorial FES signals to the second electrode array on the lower nerve stump, so that the detected motorial neural signals can be regenerated and an injured motorial neural channel can be bridged; connecting at least an upward channel to the first and second electrode arrays; detecting and processing sensory neural signals from the second sensory nerve; generating sensory FES signals related to the detected sensory neural signals; and supplying the sensory FES signals through the first electrode array to the first sensory nerve, so that an injured neural sensory channel can be bridged. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification