Properties of a microcoaxial electrode designed for unit recording from human peripheral nerves

A new microcoaxial electrode is presented, which has been used successfully for recording single- and multiunit activity from myelinated and unmyelinated human nerve fibres. The main advantages (as compared with conventional needle electrodes) are electrical stability, mechanical durability, capability of being re-used and an insulation not easily scraped off, resulting in a low leakage capacitance. The AC polarization impedance and the potential transducing properties of the microelectrode have also been studied.