TRIMODAL ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR PALLIDOTOMY & THALAMOTOMY

在医学上出现了几份很有希望的报告之后

Following the appearance of several promising reports in the medical literature, the use of pallidotomy and thalamotomy for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease-related movement disorders has been steadily increasing over the past few years. The resurgence in these two surgical techniques can be attributed in part to the development of more reliable microlesioning systems and more accurate brain mapping techniques. Our goal is to develop a single intracranial microelectrode system that will incorporate three key components: 1.) a trimodal (i.e., recording, stimulation, lesion) microelectrode coated with biocompatible insulating materials, 2.) appropriate electronics for the control of the trimodal microelectrode, and 3.) micropositioning elements. By combining recording, stimulation and lesioning functions with biocompatible technology and materials, the trimodal microelectrode will access target brain areas with less damage to healthy tissue. Microelectrode function will be simplified by integrating each mode into a single control module. The system will Include custom-designed micropositioners. This approach will provide a degree of safety and accuracy not currently available by simplifying surgical mapping calculations and minimizing component switching error. Offering all these features in a single package will allow its pricing to be very competitive and make its clinical use more cost effective. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Recently pallidotomy and thalamotomy have reemerged as effective treatments of Parkinson's Disease-related movement disorders. It is estimated that 350,000 Americans may benefit from these procedures. The development of an integrated intracranial electrode system that is highly accurate and easier to use than current technologies has great commercial potential for treatment in this subpopulation of PD sufferers. Our goal is to produce a moderately-priced system that will damage less healthy tissue and shorten the duration of the procedures, resulting in fewer complications and reducing surgical and post-operative care costs.