Intradural approach to selective stimulation in the spinal cord for treatment of intractable pain: design principles and wireless protocol Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • We introduce an intradural approach to spinal cord stimulation for the relief of intractable pain, and describe the biophysical rationale that underlies its design and performance requirements. The proposed device relies on wireless, inductive coupling between a pial surface implant and its epidural controller, and we present the results of benchtop experiments that demonstrate the ability to transmit and receive a frequency-modulated 1.6 MHz carrier signal between micro-coil antennae scaled to the 1 cm dimensions of the implant, at power levels of about 5 mW. Plans for materials selection, microfabrication, and other aspects of future development are presented and discussed. 2011 American Institute of Physics.

published proceedings

  • Journal of Applied Physics

author list (cited authors)

  • Howard, M. A., Utz, M., Brennan, T. J., Dalm, B. D., Viljoen, S., Jeffery, N. D., & Gillies, G. T.

citation count

  • 35

complete list of authors

  • Howard, MA||Utz, M||Brennan, TJ||Dalm, BD||Viljoen, S||Jeffery, ND||Gillies, GT

publication date

  • August 2011