Self-closing Cuff Electrode for Functional Neural Stimulation and Recording

This paper reports on a novel cuff electrode design for applications in neural electrical stimulation and recording. One of the more commonly employed electrode designs for the functional electrical stimulation of nerves and nerve fibers is the cylindrical cuff electrode, which has a lengthwise opening that allows placement of the target nerve within the cuff. The cuff opening is subsequently closed to secure the cuff and to decrease electrical noise from the surrounding ambient. These additional intra-operative steps required for cuff closure are a major limitation of most of the current cuff electrode designs. Some cuff electrode designs specifically proposed to address this cuff closure issue suffer from other inherent drawbacks. Therefore, there is a need for an electrode design that can preserve the advantages of a cuff structure, while overcoming the cuff closure problem. The cuff electrode design proposed here addresses the problem of securing the cuff opening after placement on the target nerve tissue. The proposed design consists of a normally closed cuff that has a pinch hinge. By applying a small force on the arms of the pinch hinge, the cuff can be opened for placement on a nerve. Subsequent removal of the force returns the cuff to its closed state. This self-closing cuff design is expected to enhance the ease of implanting cuff electrodes on nerves for functional electrical stimulation and recording applications.