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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
2195897 4/1988 United Kingdom. WO93/20887 10/1993 WJPO.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, "A Spiral Nerve Cuff Electrode for Peripheral Nerve", vol. 35, No. 11, Nov. 1988.
Primary Examiner—Lee S. Cohen
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fay, Sharpe, Beall, Fagan, Minnich & McKee
[57] ABSTRACT
A self-curling elongate non-conductive sheet (A) defines a helical cuff electrode (10). A plurality of contact members (40) are linearly disposed along a direction (C) between a first layer (30) and a second layer (32) of laminated elastomeric material. The first layer is stretched along direction (F) oblique to the direction (C) before lamination such that the cuff electrode is elastomerically biased to curl into a helix. Windows (50) are defined in the elastomeric first layer (31) and bonding layer (34) to provide for electrical conduction between the contact members (40) and the nerve tissue (60) about which the cuff is wrapped. Method steps for endoscopic implantation of the cuff electrode (10) include flattening and then sliding the cuff from a carrier (100), the cuff helically self-wrapping around the nerve as it is urged from the carrier held stationary.
25 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
