Stereotactic electrode assembly

An apparatus for performing pallidotomy on a patient's brain, comprising:

• a) an electrode support shaft having a distal tip;
• b) an introducing means for introducing said electrode support shaft into the patient's brain, said electrode support shaft housed within said introducing means;
• c) a separately monitoring means, on said electrode support shaft, for monitoring the physiological activity of individual neurons;
• d) an inactivating means, on said electrode support shaft, capable of inactivating neurons;
• and
• e) a retrieving means attached to said electrode support shaft for retrieving said electrode support shaft from the patient's brain into said introducing means.

A neurological apparatus, comprising an introducer tube having a proximal end and a distal end and an electrode assembly,

• wherein said introducer tube comprises:
• an elongate cylindrical portion;
• a conical neck portion continuous with said elongate cylindrical portion, wherein said conical neck portion increases in diameter in a direction away from said elongate cylindrical portion;
• a short cylindrical end piece continuous with said conical neck portion;
• and
• means for sealing the proximal end of said introducer tube;
• and
• wherein said electrode assembly comprises:
• a flexible electrode support shaft having a distal portion and a distal tip;
• a magnet located at the distal tip of said flexible electrode support shaft, said magnet responsive to an applied magnetic field;
• at least one neuron-inactivating macroelectrode positioned on the distal portion of said flexible electrode support shaft;
• at least one neuron-monitoring microelectrode disposed on the distal portion of said flexible electrode support shaft;
• and
• a tether line attached to said flexible electrode support shaft at a location remote from said at least one neuron-monitoring microelectrode.

An apparatus for producing at least one lesion in a globus pallidus of a human brain, comprising:

• a flexible electrode support shaft having a magnetic tip responsive to an applied external magnetic field, wherein said flexible electrode support shaft is configured to be positioned along the globus pallidus in response to application of said external magnetic field;
• a plurality of lesion-producing macroelectrodes arranged along said flexible electrode support shaft;
• and
• a plurality of neuron-monitoring microelectrodes arranged along said flexible electrode support shaft, said plurality of neuron-monitoring microelectrodes for outputting neuron activity signals, and wherein selected lesion-producing macroelectrodes are energized, in accordance with said neuron activity signals outputted, to produce said at least one lesion in the globus pallidus.

An apparatus for making one or more lesions in a brain, comprising:

• a flexible support shaft having a magnetic tip responsive to an external magnetic field, wherein said flexible support shaft can be precisely moved by application of an external magnetic field;
• a plurality of neuron-monitoring microelectrodes arranged along said flexible support shaft wherein each of the neuron-monitoring microelectrodes is constructed to sense electrical activity produced by between one and ten neurons;
• at least one lesion-producing macroelectrode disposed on said flexible support shaft;
• and
• a fluid-coated introducer tube for introducing said flexible support shaft into the brain, thereby allowing said at least one lesion-producing macroelectrode to make said one or more lesions in the brain.

A neurological apparatus, comprising:

• a flexible electrode assembly including an electrode support shaft, said electrode support shaft having a magnetic tip which is responsive to the presence of an external magnetic field;
• one or more lesion-producing macroelectrodes arranged along said electrode support shaft;
• an introducer tube for introducing said electrode support shaft into a brain such that said magnetic tip is approximately in a desired location within the brain;
• and
• a plurality of neuron-monitoring microelectrodes arranged along said electrode support shaft, wherein each neuron-monitoring microelectrode is constructed to sense the electrical activity produced by between one and ten neurons, and wherein said electrode support shaft is movable within the brain by application of an external magnetic field.

A neurological apparatus comprising:

• an electrode support shaft having a magnetic tip;
• at least one monopolar or multipolar neuron-monitoring microelectrode arranged along said electrode support shaft each microelectrode being configured to monitor the electrical activity of between one and ten neurons;
• and
• at least one lesion-producing macroelectrode arranged along said electrode support shaft.

A neurological apparatus comprising:

• a support shaft;
• at least one monopolar neuron-monitoring microelectrode arranged along said support shaft each microelectrode being configured to monitor the electrical activity of between one and ten neurons;
• and
• at least one lesion-producing macroelectrode arranged along said support shaft.