Insertion of medical devices through non-orthogonal and orthogonal trajectories within the cranium and methods of using
First Claim
1. A device configured to create an effect on or gather data about a target site in a patient'"'"'s brain, comprising:
- two or more shafts configured to be inserted through skin, muscle, tissue, bone, or skull at an entry site; and
at least one component, including an effector or a sensor, associated with each of said two or more shafts, each of said at least one component coupled to its associated shaft by one or more of;
being housed within, passing through, or being attached to each of said two or more shafts;
wherein the effectors are configured to communicate with one another either wirelessly or with a physical connector;
wherein each of said two or more shafts and its associated component are configured to be inserted at an angle, between and inclusive of parallel to a tangent of a surface at the entry site and perpendicular to a tangent of a surface at the entry site;
wherein each of said two or more shafts is configured to be inserted at the entry site at different trajectories from all other shafts;
wherein each of said two or more shafts is configured such that, when fully inserted along a trajectory, a proximal end of the shaft passes through the entry site, thereby allowing for another shaft to be inserted at a different trajectory through the entry site;
wherein the diameter of the entry site is less than the combined diameter of at least two of the effector shafts;
wherein a length of each shaft and its associated component is independent of other shafts and their associated components and is not limited to the thickness of the skin, muscle, tissue, bone, or skull at the entry site;
wherein the length of each shaft is selected such that, when fully inserted along the trajectory, the shaft does not pass into the patient'"'"'s brain and the length of at least one of the two or more shafts is greater than the thickness of the skull at the entry site; and
wherein the distal and proximal ends of the device are configured to be fully contained within the body when the device creates an effect on or gathers data about a target site in the patient'"'"'s brain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises an elongated device adapted for insertion, including self-insertion, through the body, especially the skull. The device has at least one effector or sensor and is configured to permit implantation of multiple functional components through a single entry site into the skull by directing the components at different angles. The device may be used to provide electrical, magnetic, and other stimulation therapy to a patient'"'"'s brain. The lengths of the effectors, sensors, and other components may completely traverse skull thickness (at a diagonal angle) to barely protrude through to the brain'"'"'s cortex. The components may directly contact the brain'"'"'s cortex, but from there their signals can be directed to targets deeper within the brain. Effector lengths are directly proportional to their battery size and ability to store charge. Therefore, longer angled electrode effectors not limited by skull thickness permit longer-lasting batteries which expand treatment options.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A device configured to create an effect on or gather data about a target site in a patient'"'"'s brain, comprising:
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two or more shafts configured to be inserted through skin, muscle, tissue, bone, or skull at an entry site; and at least one component, including an effector or a sensor, associated with each of said two or more shafts, each of said at least one component coupled to its associated shaft by one or more of;
being housed within, passing through, or being attached to each of said two or more shafts;wherein the effectors are configured to communicate with one another either wirelessly or with a physical connector; wherein each of said two or more shafts and its associated component are configured to be inserted at an angle, between and inclusive of parallel to a tangent of a surface at the entry site and perpendicular to a tangent of a surface at the entry site; wherein each of said two or more shafts is configured to be inserted at the entry site at different trajectories from all other shafts; wherein each of said two or more shafts is configured such that, when fully inserted along a trajectory, a proximal end of the shaft passes through the entry site, thereby allowing for another shaft to be inserted at a different trajectory through the entry site; wherein the diameter of the entry site is less than the combined diameter of at least two of the effector shafts; wherein a length of each shaft and its associated component is independent of other shafts and their associated components and is not limited to the thickness of the skin, muscle, tissue, bone, or skull at the entry site; wherein the length of each shaft is selected such that, when fully inserted along the trajectory, the shaft does not pass into the patient'"'"'s brain and the length of at least one of the two or more shafts is greater than the thickness of the skull at the entry site; and wherein the distal and proximal ends of the device are configured to be fully contained within the body when the device creates an effect on or gathers data about a target site in the patient'"'"'s brain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification