Victhom’s Neurocuff™ is a nerve cuff. It is an insulating sleeve placed around a length of nerve in order to make external connections to the nerve axons. Nerve cuffs can be used to selectively activate nerves and muscles, record the electrical signals that travel along nerves, or modulate nerve functions.
Victhom’s Neurocuff™ has thin and flexible linear wire electrodes incorporated into the molded silicone wall of the cuff. A computer-controlled manufacturing process ensures that electrode dimensions and positioning are optimal. The cuff can be easily opened and securely closed using a patented piano-hinge system and will stay permanently on the nerve without any need for retaining sutures.
The cuff inner wall is multi-chambered to provide room for expansion, since surgery is invariably accompanied by local swelling of the nerve. Longitudinal ridges that separate the chambers ensure longitudinal flow of body fluids and at the same time provide insulation between electrodes, which increases the selectivity of the multi-channel Neurocuff™ in both stimulation and sensing applications.
During stimulation, current flowing outside the cuff is minimal, due to the sealing property of the closure mechanism and the continuous silicone wall around the nerve. This has some major advantages:
- Reduction of the required current for nerve stimulation.
- Increased battery life.
- Diminished charge density on the electrode surface.
- Diminution of undesirable stimulation of surrounding tissues, thus reducing side effects.
Because of its selectivity, the Neurocuff™ can interact with a specific area of a nerve trunk such that a desired effect or recording may be obtained, while unrelated neurophysiological or neuromotor effects are avoided or greatly reduced. The Neurocuff™ is capable of microvolt level nerve signal recording.
Several signal contaminants have to be managed in order to obtain proper recording of the ENG signal. The first contaminant source is EMG (electromyographic) signal generated by muscle contraction processes. The second most prevalent source of interference is the 60 Hz hum. Another contaminant is RF noise. Finally, the noise generated by the electronics itself, which is often of thermal origin. Victhom optimized its Neurocuff™ and signal acquisition chain in order to minimize the impact of these contamination sources.
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