Biocompatible microchannel scaffold with microwires for recording regenerative peripheral nerve neural spikes
[Thesis]
Manisankar Chennamsetti
Choi, Yoonsu
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
2016
67
Committee members: Islam, Nazmul; Ramos, Jaimes
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-369-28574-1
M.S.
Department of Electrical Engineering
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
2016
A new process for the fabrication of a microchannel scaffold with microwires for peripheral nerve applications is presented. This microchannel scaffold implemented between the ends of nerves, the axons of which regenerate through microchannel in scaffold and fixed microelectrodes. This device is entirely handcrafted using commercially available materials such as microwires, PDMS film, liquid PDMS, dental cement, and epoxy glue. This device was implemented in the a Lewis rat sciatic nerve to better analyze the electrical signals of regenerated axons. 64-electrode microchannel scaffolds were developed for both peripheral nerve interfacing and peripheral nerve regeneration. The microwires were used for recording electrode to capture neural signal from the regenerated peripheral nerves. To further differentiate the methodology, the new addition of a ribbon cable will facilitate the transmission of the electrical signals. A total of eight devices have been developed, the nerve regeneration were examined four weeks after device implantation.