Methods for sensing or stimulating activity of tissue

Abstract

An intravascular device for placement within an animal vessel, the intravascular device being adapted to at least one of sense and stimulate activity of neural tissue located outside the vessel proximate the intravascular device.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for enabling a patient to control an external device by performing a mental activity, the method comprising:
 implanting a stent structure within a cerebral vessel adjacent to a brain tissue, the stent structure having a plurality of discrete electrodes each having an electrode surface, wherein the plurality of discrete electrodes are configured to sense an electrical activity of the brain tissue located outside the cerebral vessel;   expanding the stent structure to take a shape of the cerebral vessel such that expansion of the stent structure brings the electrode surface of each of the plurality of electrodes into contact with a wall of the cerebral vessel without expanding or altering a shape of the electrode surface of each of the plurality of discrete electrodes, wherein the wall of the cerebral vessel is adjacent to the brain tissue stimulated by the patient;   sensing electrical activity of the brain tissue using at least one of the plurality of electrodes after the patient performs the mental activity;   transmitting the electrical activity to an internal unit which generates a signal that controls the external device, wherein the electrical activity from the plurality of electrodes conducts wirelessly to the internal unit, wherein the internal unit is located exterior to the cerebral vessel; and   where the internal unit is further configured to transmit the signal to the external device such that the patient controls operation of the external device by stimulating a region of the brain.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of discrete electrodes is arranged in an array. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the stent structure comprises a mesh stent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the stent structure comprises a biodegradable or bioabsorbable substance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein transmitting the signal from the internal unit to the external device comprises inductively coupling the internal unit to an external unit, where the external unit is mounted externally to the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising a data transfer mechanism configured for wireless transfer of data from the internal unit to the external unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the internal unit comprises a RF transmitter. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the external unit comprises a RF transmitter. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising positioning a plurality of additional stent structures each having an array of electrodes within various regions of one or more cerebral vessels for sensing electrical activity of multiple additional regions of brain tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the external device comprises a prosthetic limb, wherein transmitting the signal from the internal unit causes movement of the prosthetic limb. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the stent structure is positioned in a second branch or a third branch of a middle cerebral artery which tracks in or along a post-central gyms of the brain. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sensing changes in the electrical activity in a pre-central gyrus of the brain tissue resulting from attempted movement of natural, absent, or artificial body parts coupled to the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting a second signal from the external device to the internal unit, wherein the second signal is electrically conducted to the plurality of discrete electrodes to produce a stimulated electrical activity of the brain tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising transmitting the second signal to the stent structure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a probe coupled to the stent structure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the probe comprises an elongate flexible micro-tube. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a system electrically coupled to the plurality of electrodes and delivering an alert using the system when the electrical activity of the brain tissue falls outside of a predetermined parameter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising passing a guide member into and through the cerebral vessel, the guide member being adapted for guiding the stent structure to a region within the cerebral vessel proximate the brain tissue to be sensed. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising stimulating electrical activity of the brain tissue from within the cerebral vessel proximate the brain tissue using the plurality of electrodes.