Long-term stability of stimulating spiral nerve cuff electrodes on human peripheral nerves

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 2017 · DOI: 10.1186/s12984-017-0285-3 · Published: June 28, 2017

Simple Explanation

Electrical stimulation can help restore movement and feeling in people with spinal cord injuries or amputations by using electrodes that wrap around nerves. This study looks at how well these electrodes, called spiral nerve cuff electrodes, work over many years after being implanted in people. The study found that most of these electrodes continued to work well for up to 11 years, with stable performance and the ability to selectively activate different muscles.

Study Duration

2-11 years

Participants

14 human volunteers with spinal cord injuries or upper limb amputation

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The spiral nerve cuffs examined remain functional in motor and sensory neuroprostheses for 2–11 years after implantation.
2
They exhibit stable charge thresholds, clinically relevant recruitment properties, and functional muscle selectivity.
3
Non-penetrating spiral nerve cuff electrodes appear to be a suitable option for long-term clinical use on human peripheral nerves in implanted neuroprostheses.

Research Summary

This study evaluated the long-term performance of spiral nerve cuff electrodes implanted in 14 human volunteers for motor or sensory neuroprostheses. The results indicated that the majority of the implanted cuffs remained functional and exhibited stable charge thresholds over a period of 2 to 11 years. The findings suggest that spiral nerve cuff electrodes are a reliable option for long-term clinical use in implanted neuroprostheses for restoring motor and sensory functions.

Practical Implications

Long-term Reliability

Spiral nerve cuff electrodes can provide stable and functional neural interfaces for many years.

Clinical Application

These electrodes are suitable for chronic implantation in neuroprosthetic devices aimed at restoring motor and sensory functions.

Design Improvement

Future research can focus on refining the design and application of these electrodes to enhance selectivity and performance.

Study Limitations

1
The recruitment curve and percent overlap experiments were not performed directly after implantation or in a longitudinal fashion over multiple years.
2
The amount of time that the stimulation is on is different for each participant.
3
This study focused solely on the analysis of chronically implanted spiral nerve cuff electrodes in humans.

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