Means and method for the placement of brain electrodes

Abstract

Disclosed are a means and a method for the placement of insulated electrical wires beneath the human scalp in such a way that they will experience no flexing after implantation thus disallowing wire breakage. Specifically, this intracranial system uses wires to connect a control module containing various electronic systems to brain electrodes. These wires are placed in grooves that are made by a surgeon in an outer portion of the patient's cranium by means of a specially shaped burr rotated at high speed by means of a router. At the end of the groove, the surgeon would drill a burr hole in the cranium at the site where a brain electrode is to be placed. A distal portion of each electrical wire would be in the form of a helical coil; one helical coil would be placed in each burr hole. The grooves and burr holes could be filled with an adhesive filler type of material to form a smooth outer surface for the cranium. Also, a special cap could be placed over the burr hole. The function of the cap would be to form a smooth outer surface for the cranium. The electrodes at the end of the wires could be placed at various locations such as deep into the brain, on the brain surface, or in close proximity to the brain.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.