A Multielectrode Nerve Cuff for Chronic Velocity Selective Recording in a sheep model.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Urology

Background:

• Supra-sacral spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts bladder control, causing sensory loss and overactivity.
• Current management for SCI-related bladder dysfunction is limited.
• Velocity selective recording (VSR) offers potential for monitoring bladder nerve activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a 10-electrode nerve cuff for chronic VSR of sacral nerve roots.
• To assess the feasibility of using VSR for monitoring bladder afferents in a chronic model.
• To demonstrate a neural interface for managing urinary incontinence and retention post-SCI.

Main Methods:

• A 10-electrode nerve cuff was designed for sacral nerve root VSR.
• The device was tested in a sheep model during acute surgery and chronic implantation (6 months).
• Electrode impedance and tissue impedance were measured to assess device performance and stability.

Main Results:

• The nerve cuff demonstrated good performance with stable electrode impedance (5.90±1.90 kΩ).
• Low tissue impedance (<~800 Ω) was maintained after 189 days of implantation.
• The device and surrounding tissues remained stable throughout the chronic implantation period.

Conclusions:

• The developed nerve cuff is suitable for chronic VSR of sacral nerve roots.
• This technology shows promise for long-term monitoring of bladder nerve activity.
• The neural interface is a viable tool for managing urinary incontinence and retention after SCI.