KR101152282B1 - Nervous device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a neural device for applying electrical stimulation, and more particularly, to a neural device including an electrode for providing an electrical stimulation to a nerve and a processing module for controlling the electrode.

A neural device according to the present invention includes an electrode inserted into a nerve to apply electrical stimulation to the nerve; And a processing module including an electrical stimulation control module for providing a continuous electrical stimulation to the electrode and a power supply module for obtaining driving power for the electrical stimulation control module from an externally provided radio frequency signal.

The neural device according to the present invention has an advantage of acquiring an electrical signal or providing an electrical stimulus without killing the nerve.

Facial nerve recovery, Laryngeal nerve recovery, Electrical stimulation, RF signal, Wire, Nerve

Description

Nervous device

The present invention relates to a neural device for applying electrical stimulation, and more particularly, to a neural device including an electrode for providing an electrical stimulation to a nerve and a processing module for controlling the electrode.

Muscles of the human body generally operate in response to electrical stimulation provided by nerves. Therefore, when abnormalities occur in facial muscles or the like, it may be necessary to treat the nerves connected to the muscles.

Conventionally, when an abnormality occurs in the facial nerve or the laryngeal nerve, therapeutic actions such as drugs and surgery have been made. In this case, a local massage was performed on the patients, which is intended to prevent the degeneration of muscles by stimulating the surrounding muscles by stimulating the surrounding nerves while the damaged nerves are restored.

In other words, if the stimulation is blocked by muscles, such as surgery for facial nerves or laryngeal nerve palsy patients, because the muscles are damaged and permanent muscle damage or paralysis may occur, The method of massaging muscles or providing electrical stimulation from outside has been proposed.

Meanwhile, in the related art, an element inserted into a human body to provide a physical stimulus or obtaining information about a specific value in the human body has been proposed. Hereinafter, an apparatus including an electrode for providing an electrical stimulation to a nerve or detecting the electrical stimulation will be described. .

First, a technique for detecting electrical stimulation of brainstem or neuron fiber has been conventionally proposed. Normann Group and Cyberkinetics of the University of Utah in the United States have been working on measuring electrical signals and stimulating nerves by inserting muilti-electrodes directly into the nerves and brain since 2000 (Normann et. Al., Long-Term Stimulation and Recording With a Penetrating Microelectrode Array in Cat Sciatic Nerve, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, VOL. 51, NO. 1, JANUARY 2004). Figure 1 shows a first electrode according to the prior art and the electrode is inserted into the sciatic nerve of the cat.

Secondly, a technique for inserting sieve-shaped electrodes into neuron fibers has been proposed. Through joint research by Fraunhofer-IBMT, IMTEK, etc. in Germany, research is conducted on nerve regeneration by inserting a sieve-shaped electrode into a neuron fiber and applying electrical stimulation. (Anup et. Al., Design, in vitro and in vivo assessment of a

multi-channel sieve electrode with integrated multiplexer, J. Neural Eng. 3 (2006) 114-24). 2 is a sieve-shaped electrode based on the second prior art described above. The diameter of the entire sieve is 1.5 mm, the same as that of the rat sciatic nerve, and 571 holes with a diameter of 40 μm are arranged at 70 μm intervals. In addition, a ring-shaped electrode surrounds 27 holes and has an area of 2200 μm ² .

Conventionally, methods such as massaging muscles have a problem that can not completely solve the problem of muscle damage.

In addition, the method of providing an electrical stimulation from the outside has a problem that can not provide a sophisticated electrical stimulation to the nerve.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to propose a neural device that solves the problem of muscle damage by continuously providing electrical stimulation to the nervous system.

It is another object of the present invention to propose a neural device which solves the problem of muscle damage by using a neural device of a miniaturized structure.

It is still another object of the present invention to propose a neural device that solves the problem of muscle damage by using a neural device that minimizes nerve damage.

In order to achieve the above object, a nerve element according to the present invention comprises: an electrode inserted into a nerve and applying an electrical stimulus to the nerve; And a processing module including an electrical stimulation control module for providing a continuous electrical stimulation to the electrode and a power supply module for obtaining driving power for the electrical stimulation control module from an externally provided radio frequency signal.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for applying electrical stimulation to a nerve bundle comprises the steps of: cutting off a portion of the nerve bundle; And inserting the neural element described above into the incision.

Preferably, the electrode comprises at least one wire.

Preferably, the wire is a nano wire.

Preferably, the nerve is characterized in that the facial or laryngeal nerve.

Using the neural device according to the present invention has the advantage of preventing muscle damage by continuously applying an electrical signal to the nerve.

In addition, the use of the neural device according to the present invention minimizes the inconvenience of using the microchip into the nerve.

In addition, the use of the neural device according to the present invention has the advantage of minimizing damage to the restored nerve.

Specific features and effects of the present invention will be further embodied by the embodiments of the present invention described below. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The nerve element according to the present embodiment is characterized by being inserted into a nerve to provide a continuous electrical stimulation. Due to a variety of causes, such as treatment for the patient, failure to provide electrical stimulation to the muscle for more than a few months from the nerve results in damage to the muscle connected to the nerve. In this case, even if the nervous system returns to normal in the future, a problem such as muscle paralysis may remain permanently due to muscle damage. In particular, when such muscle paralysis occurs in the facial muscles, a serious problem causing facial paralysis occurs.

The neural device according to the present embodiment is inserted into the nerve when the electric stimulation cannot be provided to the nerve for a predetermined period of time as described above to provide a continuous electric stimulation. When inserting the neural device according to the present embodiment, the nerve is provided with continuous electrical stimulation so that the muscle is not damaged. Therefore, when the nerve is restored in the future, the muscles do not work normally. The nerve element according to the present embodiment may be inserted into nerve elements related to various muscles, and preferably, facial nerve or laryngeal nerve is inserted to prevent facial paralysis.

3 is a block diagram showing a neural device according to the present embodiment. The drawings referred to below are exaggerated or reduced in size for each member for convenience of description, and the present invention is not limited to the specific numerical values of the accompanying drawings.

As shown, the neural device according to the present embodiment includes an electrode 500 and a processing module 510, and the processing module 510 includes an antenna 410, a power module 420, and an electrical stimulus. Control module 400 is included.

The electrode 500 may be formed of electrodes having various shapes such as a plate shape and a linear shape. The electrode 500 is inserted into a nerve (not shown) to provide electrical stimulation to the nerve.

The processing module 510 may include an antenna 410 for transmitting and receiving an external radio frequency (RF) signal and a power module 420 for obtaining power from an RF signal received from the antenna 410. And an electrical stimulation control module 400 for providing a continuous electrical stimulation to the electrode 500.

Preferably, the electrical stimulation control module 400 continuously applies a current of, for example, several to several tens of mA to the electrode 500. That is, the electrical stimulation control module 400 repeatedly transmits a small current to the electrode 500 in a predetermined time interval, so that a continuous electrical stimulation is provided to the nerve. Preferably, the electrical stimulation control module 400 provides the electrical pulse (continuous) for more than two months. Due to the operation of the electrical stimulation control module 400 described above, damage to muscles connected to nerves is prevented.

Preferably, the driving power of the electrical stimulation control module 400 is provided from the power module 420. Since the processing module 510 according to the present embodiment may be manufactured as a very small chip, it is inefficient to use a separate battery. Therefore, power is supplied through an externally provided RF signal.

The electrical stimulation control module 400 may provide an electrical pulse according to a predetermined pattern, and provide an electrical pulse having a different magnitude and duration depending on the RF signal received from the antenna 410. You may. That is, the electrical stimulation control module 400 may control whether to provide electrical pulses, the size, duration, period, etc. of the electrical pulses according to the RF signal received from the antenna 410.

The processing module 510 is preferably manufactured to a size of 1.0 mm * 1.0 mm or less.

The device of FIG. 3 may be fabricated as a single chip using a conventionally proposed integration process, or may be fabricated separately into several modules.

Hereinafter, the structure of the electrode 500 according to the present embodiment will be described.

The electrode 500 may be formed of a wire 401 of the type shown in FIGS. 4A to 4B. The wire 401 may be manufactured in a linear manner and inserted into the nerve 402 in various directions.

The wire 401 may be manufactured in a macro unit size or may be manufactured in a nano size. Preferably, the wire 401 is manufactured in a nano process.

Conventionally, electrodes prepared in a macro unit size were arranged and inserted into a nerve. In this case, a problem occurs in which a nerve is damaged due to damage to a nerve into which the electrode is inserted. However, when using nanowires as in the present embodiment, it is possible to provide electrical stimulation while minimizing damage to nerves.

The nanowires 401 may have a diameter of only tens to hundreds of nanometers (nm) and may be inserted into any portion of the nerve 402. In general, since the diameter of the nerve 402 is several micrometers or more, even when the nanowire 401 is inserted, the nerve 402 is not significantly damaged.

The nano wire 401 is preferably inserted in the longitudinal direction of the nerve, as shown in Figure 4a. When the nanowires 401 are inserted in the longitudinal direction, since the area where the nanowires 401 and the nerves 402 contact is easily maximized, the nanowires 401 may be inserted in the longitudinal direction of the nerves. However, the direction in which the nanowires 401 are inserted is not limited, and as shown in FIG. 4B, the nanowires 401 may be inserted in a direction perpendicular to the nerves 402.

5 is a view showing a device including a nanowire proposed in this embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the electrode 500 in the apparatus of FIG. 3.

The electrode 500 according to the present embodiment is connected to a processing module 510 that provides electrical stimulation to nerves.

The electrode 500 according to the example of FIG. 5 includes a base 501, a through hole 502, a nano wire support 503, and a nano wire 504.

The base 501 is manufactured in a plate shape or various three-dimensional shapes, and is connected to the processing module 510. At least one through hole 502 is preferably formed in the base 501. The through hole 502 may have various cross sections, such as a circle, an ellipse, and a polygon, but is preferably manufactured in a shape corresponding to a cross section of a neural bundle or an easy circular shape. The through hole preferably has a diameter of several tens of micrometers to several tens of nanometers.

The inner circumferential surface of the through hole 502 is preferably provided with a nano wire support 503. The nano wire support 503 supports the nano wire 504 to fix the nano wire 504 in one direction. The nano wire 504 is preferably fixed by the nano wire support 503.

5 illustrates an example in which the electrode 500 according to the present embodiment is connected to one side of the processing module 510. However, there is no limitation on the number of electrodes 500 connected to the processing module 510. For example, two electrodes 500 may be connected to opposite sides of the processing module 510.

The above-described electrode 500 of FIG. 5 may be manufactured by various methods. Hereinafter, a method of growing the nanowire 504 and a method of manufacturing the electrode 500 having the nanowire 504 will be described.

6A is a conceptual diagram illustrating a method of synthesizing nanowires using a catalyst. As shown, when reactants are added to the nanoclusters, nucleation and growth occurs to synthesize nanowires. The synthesized nanowires may have a shape as shown in FIG. 6B. In addition, the nanowires used in this embodiment may be formed by a method described in the prior art (Si Nanowire Bridges in Trenches: Integration of Growth into Device Fabrication ”Adv. Mater. 17, 2098, 2005) or the like.

According to the above description, it is possible to manufacture nanowires having various three-dimensional structures as shown in FIG. 6C.

Hereinafter, an example of the manufacturing method of the electrode 500 containing the above-mentioned nanowire is demonstrated. The base 501 including the above-described through hole 502 and the nano wire support 503 may be implemented by applying a photo mask and an etching process on a wafer of various materials such as silicon.

When the base 501 including the through hole 502 and the nano wire support 503 is formed, the catalyst is positioned at a position where the nano wire support 503 grows. For example, when fixing the nanowire 504 in the middle portion of the nanowire support 503, the catalyst for nanowire 504 growth is placed in the middle portion of the nanowire support 503. The catalyst may be located at any portion of the nanowire support 503 via a lithography process or the like. The catalyst is preferably selected according to the material of the nanowires 504 to be grown. For example, when the silicon nanowires are grown, Au catalysts may be used. When the catalyst is located on the substrate, the reactant may be supplied through a CVD process to complete the nanowires 504.

The base 501, the nano wire support 503, and the nano wire 504 may be made of various materials. For example, semiconductors or metals that can be implemented as nano devices by nano processes are possible, such as silicon, gold, silver and copper.

Figure 7 shows an example in which the nerve element proposed in this embodiment is inserted into the nerve. As described above, the nerve element according to the present embodiment is inserted into a nerve. In order to insert the nerve element into the nerve, the nerve is cut and the electrode 500 is inserted between the cut gaps.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the nerve fiber 600 made up of a plurality of nerve bundles 601 is cut and then the electrode 500 is inserted into the cut portion.

There is no restriction on the direction in which the electrode 500 is inserted, but preferably, the electrode 500 is inserted such that the nanowires 504 included in the electrode 500 are inserted in the longitudinal direction of the nerve.

After the electrode 500 is inserted, the dissected nerve is resealed.

When the injured nerve is left in the incision state, a problem occurs that the nerve dies, but since the injured nerve is closed after the electrode 500 is inserted, the connection of the nerve may be spontaneously restored. In particular, since the electrode 500 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes at least one through hole 502 as illustrated in FIG. 5, nerve bundles cut through the through hole 502 are spontaneously restored. .

8 is a perspective view showing the nerve restored through the through hole.

As shown, the temporarily cut nerve bundle 601 is restored through the through-hole 502, so that the nanowire 504 is inserted in the nerve bundle 601 in the longitudinal direction of the nerve. As shown in the example of FIG. 8, the base 501 is provided with a through hole 502, a nano wire support 503 is fixed to an inner circumferential surface 505 of the through hole 502, and the nano wire support ( The nanowire 504 is fixed to the 503.

Since the plurality of nerve bundles 601 exist in the same direction in the nerve fiber 600, the plurality of nanowires 504 may be present in a predetermined direction. In addition, the nanowires 504 may be disposed according to a predetermined arrangement pattern so that the nanowires 504 may be accurately inserted into the nerve bundle 601. For example, nanowires 504 may be disposed along the same spacing, or nanowires 504 may be disposed closely with respect to a specific area.

9 and 10 illustrate an example of a shape in which the nanowire support 503 is fixed to the through hole 502. As shown in FIG. 9, the nano wire support 503 may be formed to divide the through hole 502 into a plurality of regions. The nano wire support 503 may have a straight shape as shown, or may be formed in a curve having various curvatures. In addition, as shown in the drawing, it may be formed to extend from the inner circumferential surface 505 of the through hole 502 or may extend from one surface of the base 501.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 10, one end of the nanowire support 503 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 505 of the through hole 502, and the other end thereof may be freely positioned.

3 to 10 may be inserted into all kinds of nerves requiring electrical stimulation, preferably inserted into facial nerves or laryngeal nerves to perform an operation. The paralysis of the facial or laryngeal nerves causes facial paralysis. Since facial paralysis may cause more pain to a patient than paralysis of other muscles, the device according to the present invention is applied to the treatment of facial muscle paralysis. It is preferable.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in all aspects, but should be considered as illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Neural device according to the present invention relates to a device for providing electrical stimulation to the nerve, it is reasonable that the industrial applicability is recognized.

Figure 1 shows a first electrode according to the prior art and the electrode is inserted into the sciatic nerve of the cat.

2 is a sieve shaped electrode based on a second prior art.

3 is a block diagram showing a neural device according to the present embodiment.

4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating nanowires included in a neural device according to the present embodiment.

5 is a view showing a device including a neural element proposed in this embodiment.

6A to 6C are diagrams for explaining an example of the method for producing the present invention.

Figure 7 shows an example in which the electrode proposed in this embodiment is inserted into the nerve.

8 is a perspective view showing the nerve restored through the through hole.

9 and 10 illustrate an example of a shape in which the nanowire support 503 is fixed to the through hole 502.

Claims (10)

An electrode including at least one nanowire inserted into a nerve to apply electrical stimulation to the nerve; And A processing module having an electrical stimulation control module for providing a continuous electrical stimulation to the electrode and a power module for obtaining drive power for the electrical stimulation control module from an externally provided radio frequency signal; The electrode, A base connected to the electrical stimulation control module, the base having at least one through hole and a wire support; The wire support may be formed by dividing the through hole into a plurality of regions or extending from an inner circumferential surface of the through hole. One end of the wire is fixed to the wire support. The method of claim 1, The nerve device is characterized in that the facial nerve or laryngeal nerve. The method of claim 1, The electrical stimulation control module is a neural device, characterized in that controlled in accordance with a radio frequency (Radio Frequency) signal. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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