Methods and systems employing intracranial electrodes for neurostimulation and/or electroencephalography

• US 7,302,298 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Northstar Neuroscience, Inc.
• Inventors: Gliner, Bradford Evan, Leyde, Kent, Genau, Chris, Miazga, Jay, Lowry, David Warren, Clopton, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bertram; Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US10/418,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20040102828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/116, 607/139, 600/377, 600/378, 600/383, 600/386
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole

Abstract

Aspects of the invention relate to intracranial electrodes and methods for implanting and using intracranial electrodes. In one particular example, an intracranial electrode includes a shaft having a distal contact surface adapted to electrically contact a surface of a patient'"'"'s brain, a head associated with the shaft, and threads adapted to fix the electrode with respect to the patient'"'"'s skull. This electrode may have an adjustable length adapted to change a contact force of the distal contact surface against the surface of the brain by adjusting the length of the electrode.

Claims

1. A method for implanting an intracranial electrode, comprising:

passing an elongate conductive member into a borehole extending through a patient'"'"'s skull;

advancing the elongate conductive member into the patient'"'"'s brain so that the elongate conductive member extends into the patient'"'"'s subcortical tissue; and

threadably rotating a shaft of the electrode into engagement with a wall of the borehole to secure the shaft in the borehole and crimp the elongate conductive member against the wall of the borehole after advancing the elongate conductive member into the patient'"'"'s brain.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongate conductive member includes a dielectric coating, and wherein threadably rotating the shaft includes cutting through the dielectric coating with threads of the shaft to electrically couple the shaft to the elongate conductive member.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the elongate conductive member relative to the shaft before advancing the elongate conductive member into the patient'"'"'s brain.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a head associated with the shaft subcutaneously adjacent the patient'"'"'s skull.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising electrically coupling a lead to the shaft, and electrically coupling the shaft to the elongate conductive member.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising electrically coupling the elongate conductive member to a pulse system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising engaging a cap with a head of the electrode to electrically couple a lead to the head.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cap includes a conductive inner surface, and wherein engaging the cap includes contacting the conductive inner surface with the head.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a pilot hole through at least a part of a thickness of the patient'"'"'s skull adjacent a selected site of the patient'"'"'s brain.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising electrically coupling the elongate conductive member to a sensing unit.

11. An intracranial electrode system, comprising:

a shaft;

a head associated with the shaft, the head being sized to be positioned subcutaneously adjacent a patient'"'"'s skull; and

an elongate conductive member carried by at least one of the head and the shaft, the elongate conductive member being positioned to extend into the patient'"'"'s subcortical tissue, the elongate conductive member and the shaft being movable relative to each other during implantation of the electrode in the patient, the elongate conductive member being electrically coupled to at least one of the shaft and the head, wherein at least one of the head and the shaft includes a rotatable fitting having an aperture, and wherein the elongate conductive member is slideably received in the aperture of the fitting, further wherein the rotatable fitting is rotatable relative to the shaft to change an orientation angle between an axial axis of the shaft and an axial axis of the elongate conductive member.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an anchor carried by at least one of the head and the shaft, the anchor being configured to fix the electrode with respect to the patient'"'"'s skull.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the anchor includes a plurality of threads carried by the shaft.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a conductive lead electrically coupled to the head; and

a subcutaneous cap positioned over the head and securing the lead to the head.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the subcutaneous cap includes a conductive inner surface in electrical communication with both the lead and the head.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a pulse system electrically coupled to the elongate conductive member.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a sensing unit electrically coupled to the elongate conductive member.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the intracranial electrode is one electrode in an array of intracranial electrodes.

19. An intracranial electrode system, comprising:

a shaft;

a head associated with the shaft, the head being sized to be positioned subcutaneously adjacent a patient'"'"'s skull; and

an elongate conductive member carried by at least one of the head and the shaft, the elongate conductive member being positioned to extend into the patient'"'"'s subcortical tissue, the elongate conductive member and the shaft being movable relative to each other during implantation of the electrode in the patient, wherein at least one of the head and the shaft includes a rotatable fitting having an aperture, and wherein the elongate conductive member is slideably received in the aperture of the fitting, further wherein the rotatable fitting is rotatable relative to the shaft to change an orientation angle between an axial axis of the shaft and an axial axis of the elongate conductive member.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the elongate conductive member is electrically coupled to one of the head and the shaft.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising an anchor carried by at least one of the head and shaft, the anchor being configured to fix the electrode with respect to the patient'"'"'s skull.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the anchor includes a plurality of threads carried by the shaft.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a conductive lead electrically coupled to the head; and

a subcutaneous cap positioned over the head and securing the lead to the head.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the subcutaneous cap includes a conductive inner surface in electrical communication with both the lead and the head.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a pulse system electrically coupled to the elongate conductive member.

26. The system of claim 19, further comprising a sensing unit electrically coupled to the elongate conductive member.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the intracranial electrode is one electrode in an array of intracranial electrodes.

28. A method for implanting an intracranial electrode, comprising:

securing a shaft of the electrode in a borehole extending through a patient'"'"'s skull;

passing an elongate conductive member into the borehole;

while the shaft is in the borehole, rotating a fitting carried by the shaft relative to the shaft until an axis of an aperture through the fitting has a selected angular orientation relative to the shaft, then sliding the elongate member through the aperture in the fitting and into the patient'"'"'s brain; and

advancing the elongate conductive member into the patient'"'"'s brain so that the elongate conductive member extends into the patient'"'"'s subcortical tissue.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising electrically coupling a lead to the shaft, and electrically coupling the shaft to the elongate conductive member.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising positioning a head associated with the shaft subcutaneously adjacent the patient'"'"'s skull.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising engaging a cap with a head of the electrode to electrically couple a lead to the head.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the cap includes a conductive inner surface, and wherein engaging the cap includes contacting the conductive inner surface with the head.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming a pilot hole through at least a part of a thickness of the patient'"'"'s skull adjacent a selected site of the patient'"'"'s brain.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising electrically coupling the elongate conductive member to a pulse system.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising electrically coupling the elongate conductive member to a sensing unit.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising determining the selected angular orientation and monitoring the axis of the aperture with a surgical navigation system.