PENETRATING ELECTRODES FOR RETINAL STIMULATION

• US 20110172736A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nano-Retina Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nano-Retina Inc.
• Inventors: SAINI, Rahul, GEFEN, Ra'anan
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes

Abstract

Apparatus configured for implantation in a body of a subject is provided. The apparatus includes a support substrate, and at least 500 electrodes protruding at least 50 um from the support substrate, each electrode having (a) a distal tip, (b) an electrically-exposed tip portion, and (c) a cross-section of 50-1500 um2, 20 um from the distal tip. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for implantation in a body of a subject, comprising:

a support substrate; and

at least 500 electrodes protruding at least 50 um from the support substrate, each electrode having (a) a distal tip, (b) an electrically-exposed tip portion, and (c) a cross-section of 50-1500 um2, 20 um from the distal tip.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least 500 electrodes comprise 1000-3000 electrodes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least 500 electrodes comprise 3000-6000 electrodes.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each electrode tip has a rough surface.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for implantation in an eye of the subject.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the eye of the subject includes retinal tissue of the subject, and wherein the tips are configured to penetrate the retinal tissue.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the retinal tissue of the subject includes a retinal bipolar cell layer of the subject, and wherein the tips are configured to penetrate the retinal bipolar cell layer.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tissue of the subject includes a retinal ganglion cell layer of the subject, and wherein the tips are configured to penetrate the retinal ganglion cell layer.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-exposed tip portion of each electrode is 25-100 um in length.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each electrode comprises an electrically-insulated body portion, proximal to the electrically-exposed tip.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the electrically-insulated body portion has a length of 100-650 um.

30. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each distal tip has a radius of curvature of 0.5-5 um.

31. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the distal tips is 1-3 um.

32. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance from the substrate to the distal tip of each electrode is 200-500 um.

33. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distal tip of the tips of the electrodes have an average distance from the support substrate of 20-150 um.

35. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-exposed tip portion of each electrode is shaped to define a hook configured to penetrate the tissue of the subject and anchor to the tissue.

36. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support substrate is generally flexible.

38. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tips of the electrodes together define a convex curved surface having a radius of curvature that is 6-15 mm.

109. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least 100 surface electrodes, and wherein the protruding electrodes are shaped to define respective tips having rough surfaces and configured for penetrating tissue of the subject.

110. The apparatus according to claim 109, wherein the surface electrodes are configured to function as return electrodes.

111. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least 500 electrodes are arranged in at least 10 clusters of three or more electrodes, the distal tips being configured for penetrating tissue of the subject, and wherein:

at least some of the electrodes in each cluster are configured to drive respective currents into the tissue of the subject, and

the current driven by each electrode in the cluster is returned via an electrode in the cluster that serves as a common return electrode for the other electrodes in the cluster.

112. The apparatus according to claim 111, wherein at least some of the clusters comprise fewer than six electrodes.

113. The apparatus according to claim 111, wherein the at least 10 clusters comprise 100-500 clusters.

114. The apparatus according to claim 111, wherein the at least 10 clusters comprise 500-1500 clusters.

115. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrically-exposed tip portion of each electrode is shaped to define one or more perforations passing therethrough and is configured for penetrating tissue of the subject.

2. (canceled)

5-6. -6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

14-16. -16. (canceled)

19-20. -20. (canceled)

22-29. -29. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

39. Apparatus configured for implantation in a body of a subject, comprising:

a support substrate; and

an array of at least 100 short electrodes and at least 400 long electrodes that are longer than the short electrodes, the short and long electrodes coupled to the support substrate and protruding at least 50 um from the support substrate, and shaped to define respective tips having rough surfaces and configured for penetrating tissue of the subject.

56. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the tips of the electrodes together define a convex curved surface having a radius of curvature that is 6-15 mm.

40-55. -55. (canceled)

57-98. -98. (canceled)

99. A method for retinal stimulation comprising:

identifying a subject as suffering from a retinal disease; and

in response to identifying the subject, implanting in the subject'"'"'s eye;

a support substrate; and

at least 500 electrodes protruding at least 50 um from the support substrate, each electrode having (a) a distal tip, (b) an electrically-exposed tip portion, and (c) a cross-section of 50-1500 um2, 20 um from the distal tip.

100-108. -108. (canceled)