IMPLANTABLE DEVICE FOR OPTICALLY STIMULATING THE BRAIN COMPRISING A MULTI-CHANNEL CATHETER

Abstract

An implantable device for optically stimulating a brain of a human being or animal, including: a multi-channel biocompatible catheter including a plurality of channels extending substantially parallel to each other relative to a longitudinal axis of the multi-channel catheter; a light guide, extending into one channel, for optically stimulating the brain, the multi-channel catheter acting as a sheath totally enveloping the light guide; a functional element, extending into another channel, to measure light injected into a surrounding medium at a distal end of the light guide and/or an element acting on the shape of the multi-channel catheter.

Claims

1-19. (canceled)

20: An implantable device for optically stimulating a brain of a human being or animal, comprising: a biocompatible multi-channel catheter, comprising a plurality of channels extending in parallel to each other relative to a longitudinal axis of the multi-channel catheter, the multi-channel catheter including a proximal end and a distal end; a light guide, extending into a channel of the multi-channel catheter, for optically stimulating the brain, including a proximal end for receiving light emitted by a light source and a distal end for delivering the light inside the brain, the multi-channel catheter acting as a sheath for totally wrapping the light guide; a functional element, extending into another channel of the multi-channel catheter, for measuring light injected into a surrounding medium at the distal end of the light guide, and/or an element acting on a form of the multi-channel catheter; the distal end of the multi-channel catheter including a light scattering element including a fluorophore for fluorescence monitoring.

21: The device according to claim 20, wherein the distal end of the multi-channel catheter is of an oblong shape.

22: The device according to claim 20, wherein the light scattering element is located at the distal end of the light guide inside the channel into which the light guide extends.

23: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes a fluid channel for injecting and/or sampling liquids.

24: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes at least one channel for using a stiffener during placement of the multi-channel catheter.

25: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes at least one channel for using a localized stiffener of super elastic material or using ability of a thermoplastic waveguide to be custom thermoformed on the finished device.

26: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes a channel including a radiopaque label for post-surgical check.

27: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes at least one channel for passing conductive electrodes for electrically stimulating the brain at the distal end of the multi-channel catheter.

28: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes another channel for passing another light guide for recovering light during monitoring performed via the functional element.

29: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes an anti-crushing anti-folding protective means, the multi-channel catheter including at least one bent portion and the anti-crushing anti-folding protective means being located at the at least one bent portion.

30: The device according to claim 20, comprising a plurality of connecting elements at the proximal end of the multi-channel catheter, a fluidic connecting element for injecting products during a surgical phase, an electrical connecting element for applying an electric field in an illuminated zone and/or performing an electrical measurement.

31: The device according to claim 20, wherein the multi-channel catheter includes a metal coating, for promoting a light emitting angle and/or performing a selective scattering.

32: The device according to claim 20, further comprising a light source connected to at least the proximal end of the light guide.

33: The device according claim 32, wherein the light source is integrated to a neurostimulator.

34: The device according to claim 32, wherein the light source is independent of a neurostimulator.

35: The device according to claim 34, wherein the light source is located inside a sealed biocompatible casing coupled to at least one light guide.

36: The device according to claim 35, wherein the casing includes an optical detector for monitoring light injection coupled to the functional element and electronic wireless communication means with a remote terminal for checking the device.

37: The device according to claims 32, further comprising a power source for powering the light source.

38: The device according to claim 32, wherein the light source includes a sensor and a dichroic mirror, located between the sensor and the scattering element, the sensor enabling wavelengths back from the scattering element emitted by fluorescence to be measured.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description that follows, of exemplary implementations not limiting the same, as well as upon examining the schematic and partial figures of the appended drawing, in which:

[0070] FIG. 1 partially illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an implantable device in accordance with the invention,

[0071] FIG. 2 partially illustrates, in a cross-section and perspective view, an exemplary embodiment of a multi-channel catheter of another implantable device in accordance with the invention, and

[0072] FIGS. 3 and 4 represent two other exemplary implantable devices in accordance with the invention, respectively including a light source integrated to a neurostimulator and a light source offset relative to a neurostimulator.

[0073] Throughout the figures, identical references can designate identical or analogous elements.

[0074] Moreover, the different parts represented in the figures are not necessarily drawn at a uniform scale, to make the figures more legible.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0075] In FIG. 1, an exemplary implantable device 10 in accordance with the invention for optically stimulating the brain of a human being or animal is partially illustrated.

[0076] The implantable device 10 includes a multi-channel catheter 1 in the form of a tube, provided in this example with two bent portions 8a and 8b, a proximal end 1a, intended to be connected to a light source 4 (visible in FIGS. 3 and 4) and possibly other optical and/or electronic systems, and with a distal end 1b at which a light guide 3 emits illumination I towards the human or animal brain.

[0077] The multi-channel catheter 1 is preferentially made of silicon or polyurethane (PU), and is in a transparent form. It has a cylindrical shape with a diameter between 1 and 2.2 mm, and its thinness is such that it enables it to be inserted into the third ventricle or in contact with any other zone of the brain surgically accessible through a trepanation operation of a few millimetres.

[0078] Moreover, in order to facilitate penetration into tissues, the distal end 1b of the multi-channel catheter 1 can be of an oblong shape, in particular for catheters having a diameter higher than 1.3 mm.

[0079] The multi-channel catheter 1 is advantageously biocompatible, and comprises a plurality of channels 2a-2i (visible in FIG. 2) which extend in parallel to each other relative to the longitudinal axis X of the catheter 1. Still in other words, on each rectilinear portion of the multi-channel catheter 1, the channels 2a-2i are parallel to each other.

[0080] The light guide 3, in particular in the form of an optical fibre or a high index contrast waveguide injected into the channel, extends in a first channel 2b of the catheter 1. It enables the human or animal brain to be optically stimulated.

[0081] The light guide 3 includes a proximal end 3a which receives light emitted by the light source 4 and the distal end 3b for delivering this light inside the brain as an illumination I.

[0082] Advantageously, the multi-channel catheter 1 forms a full protective coating for the light guide 3.

[0083] On the other hand, the distal end 3b of the light guide 3 includes a light scattering element 6. This scattering element 6 extends for example into the first channel 2b of the multi-channel catheter 1 in which the light guide 3 is located over a length in the order of 10 mm. Thereby, it is possible to obtain a linear scattering source enabling the lighting uniformity of a great brain area to be improved, and also the lens effect to be avoided at the end of the multi-channel catheter 1.

[0084] This scattering element 6 includes in particular a titanium dioxide (T.sub.iO.sub.2) load. Moreover, this scattering element 6 can include a fluorophore for fluorescence monitoring, consisting for example of the IndoCyanine Green (ICG) pigment.

[0085] On the other hand, in FIG. 1, it is also noticed that the implantable device 1 can include a plurality of connecting elements 9a, 9b at the proximal end 1a of the multi-channel catheter 1.

[0086] In particular, the multi-channel catheter 1 includes an optical connecting element 9a for connecting the light guide 3 to the light source 4.

[0087] Moreover, the multi-channel catheter 1 also includes another optical connecting element 9b which enables another light guide 11, which is provided with a proximal end 11a and a distal end 11b, to be connected to the light source 4. Both optical connecting elements or pedestals 9a and 9b can be integrated if need be into a single connection module compatible with a suitable optical transceiving module.

[0088] Although not represented, the implantable device 10 can also include a fluid connecting element for injecting products during the surgical phase, in particular a contrast agent and/or for connecting to an implantable delivery pump for using photosensitive products, an electrical connecting element for applying an electric field in the illuminated zone and/or performing an electrical measurement.

[0089] On the other hand, the first bent portion 8a can be rigidified via a shape memory rod of super elastic material 12, corresponding for example to Nitinol from 250 μm to 500 μm.

[0090] Further, the second bent portion 8b includes an anti-crushing anti-folding protective means 7 so as to prevent light guides 3 and 11 from being ruptured during the surgical operation. This anti-crushing device can for example be made of a spiral yarn with implantable stainless steel as a material. The length of the anti-crushing zone can be adapted depending on the length implanted into the brain so as to protect the bend at 90° at the outlet of the cranium. This protective means 7 can be integrated into the multi-channel catheter 1 or located externally to the same and fastened via attachments.

[0091] On the other hand, in FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of a multi-channel catheter 1 of another implantable device 10 in accordance with the invention has been illustrated in a cross-section perspective view.

[0092] In this example, it is noticed that the multi-channel catheter 1 includes nine channels parallel to each other, including a first channel 2b in which the light guide 3 is located.

[0093] Further, the multi-channel catheter 1 also includes a central channel 2a about which the other eight side channels 2b-2i are distributed.

[0094] Therefore, the central channel 2a includes, in accordance with the invention, a monitoring probe 5, which extends into the central channel 2a, for measuring light injected into the surrounding medium at the distal end 3b of the light guide 3. Advantageously, the monitoring probe makes it possible to ensure that the device 10 is properly working and to check the light dose applied to the individual. The measurement of the light injected in a surrounding medium enables the measurement of light injected in the individual's tissues to be known.

[0095] On the other hand, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the multi-channel catheter 1 also includes a fluid channel 2e for injecting and/or sampling liquids, and in particular for injecting a contrast agent during the surgical phase, the distal end of which is pierced to enable liquids to be injected and/or sampled.

[0096] Moreover, the multi-channel catheter 1 also includes two channels 2d and 2h for using a stiffener during the placement of the multi-channel catheter 1. Such a stiffener is in particular a localised stiffener of super elastic material of the 250 μm Nitinol type.

[0097] In order to facilitate checking that the multi-channel catheter 1 is properly positioned, the same also includes a channel 2f equipped with a radiopaque label for post-surgical check. This radiopaque label can for example include an edge of a sulphate barium (BaSO.sub.4) load.

[0098] Further, the multi-channel catheter 1 includes two channels 2g and 2i for passing conductive electrodes for electrically stimulating the brain at the distal end 1b of the multi-channel catheter 1.

[0099] It also includes a channel 2c for passing another light guide 11 for recovering light upon monitoring performed via the monitoring probe 5. Indeed, as depicted in FIG. 1, when the first light guide 3 sends light along the arrow F1 towards the scattering element 6 for illuminating I the brain, a recovered part R can be directed to the second light guide 11 which sends it back along the arrow F2 to the light source 4.

[0100] On the other hand, as previously indicated, the implantable device 10 advantageously includes a light source 4, emitting in the infrared range, connected to the proximal ends 3a and 11a of the first 3 and second 11 light guides.

[0101] FIGS. 3 and 4 thus represent two other exemplary implantable devices 10 in accordance with the invention, respectively including a light source 4 integrated to a neurostimulator N and a light source 4 offset with respect to a neurostimulator N.

[0102] In the example of FIG. 3, the light source 4 is integrated to the neurostimulator N, this being in particular of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) type.

[0103] On contrast, in the example of FIG. 4, the light source 4 is independent of the neurostimulator N, that is it is offset from the neurostimulator N.

[0104] Advantageously, the use of an offset light source 4 can enable commercial neurostimulators to be used, or even the use on individuals already equipped with DBS type probes.

[0105] On the other hand, the light source 4, in the example of FIG. 4, is located inside a biocompatible sealed casing 13 coupled to at least one light guide 3, in particular via a removable connector.

[0106] This casing 13 can include an optical detector for monitoring injecting light coupled to the monitoring probe 5 and electronic wireless communication means with a remote terminal for checking the device 1.

[0107] The implantable device according to the invention can advantageously enable deep brain illumination to be made on a human being or animal, while being able to be associated with other stimulation modes, such as electrical stimulation or product injection stimulation.

[0108] Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments just described. Various modifications can be made thereto by those skilled in the art.

[0109] The phrase “including one” should be understood as being synonym of “including at least one”, unless otherwise specified.