Flat electrode contacts for vagus nerve stimulation.

The majority of available systems for vagus nerve stimulation use helical stimulation electrodes, which cover the majority of the circumference of the nerve and produce largely uniform current density within the nerve. Flat stimulation electrodes that contact only one side of the nerve may provide advantages, including ease of fabrication. However, it is possible that the flat configuration will yield inefficient fiber recruitment due to a less uniform current distribution within the nerve.

ReStore: A wireless peripheral nerve stimulation system.

Background: The growing use of neuromodulation techniques to treat neurological disorders has motivated efforts to improve on the safety and reliability of implantable nerve stimulators.

New Method: The present study describes the ReStore system, a miniature, implantable wireless nerve stimulator system that has no battery or leads and is constructed using commercial components and processes. The implant can be programmed wirelessly to deliver charge-balanced, biphasic current pulses of varying amplitudes, pulse widths, frequencies, and train durations.