Extracranial monitoring of brain activity

• US 8,396,557 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: NeuroVista Corporation
• Inventors: DiLorenzo, Daniel John
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US13/439,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1101 Detecting tremor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6868 Brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 : Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 : Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 : from an external energy source

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring a subject'"'"'s brain activity are provided. A method includes receiving EEG signals from the subject using a plurality of EEG electrodes positioned extracranially; and recording EEG signals using a recording circuit coupled to said EEG electrodes and contained in an enclosure implanted beneath the subject'"'"'s scalp and above the subject'"'"'s caldarium.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a subject'"'"'s brain activity, comprising:

receiving EEG signals from the subject using a plurality of EEG electrodes positioned extracranially; and

recording EEG signals using a recording circuit coupled to said EEG electrodes and contained in an enclosure implanted beneath the subject'"'"'s scalp and above the subject'"'"'s caldarium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of EEG electrodes are coupled to the recording circuit via a single connecting member.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one side of the enclosure is convex.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one side of the enclosure is concave.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the EEG electrodes are positioned in a subgaleal location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the EEG electrodes are positioned in a subcutaneous location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is positioned to beneath the pericranium.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the enclosure is positioned directly overlying the caldarium.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is positioned over an intact pericranium.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is attached to the pericranium.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is attached to the scalp.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering a magnetic flux to an electromagnetic coupling element positioned in the subject'"'"'s head using a power delivery unit external to the subject'"'"'s head; and

recharging an implanted rechargeable battery by converting an electrical signal induced by the magnetic flux on the electromagnetic coupling element into electrical power using an implanted power conversion unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said delivering the magnetic flux comprises delivering the magnetic flux using an electromagnetic coil positioned in close proximity to the subject'"'"'s head using a coil holder.

14. A system for monitoring a subject'"'"'s brain activity, comprising:

a plurality of EEG electrodes configured to be implanted extracranially in the subject'"'"'s head;

a recording circuit coupled to said EEG electrodes; and

an enclosure containing the recording circuit, said enclosure being configured to be implanted beneath the subject'"'"'s scalp and above the subject'"'"'s caldarium.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of EEG electrodes are positioned on a single connecting member coupled to the recording circuit.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein one side of the enclosure is convex.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein one side of the enclosure is concave.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the EEG electrodes are configured to be positioned in a subgaleal location.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the EEG electrodes are configured to be positioned in a subcutaneous location.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the enclosure is configured to be positioned to beneath the pericranium.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is configured to be positioned directly overlying the caldarium.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is configured to be positioned over an intact pericranium.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is configured to be attached to the pericranium.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the enclosure is configured to be attached to the scalp.

25. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

an electromagnetic coupling element positioned in the subject'"'"'s head;

a power delivery unit external to the subject'"'"'s head for delivering a magnetic flux to the electromagnetic coupling element;

an implanted rechargeable battery; and

an implanted power conversion unit for recharging the implanted rechargeable battery by converting an electrical signal induced by the magnetic flux on the electromagnetic coupling element into electrical power.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

an external electromagnetic coil for delivering the magnetic flux to the electromagnetic coupling element; and

a coil holder holding the external electromagnetic coil in close proximity to the subject'"'"'s head using a coil holder.