Methods and apparatus for implanting electronic implants within the body

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an implant delivery device configured to deliver an implant into a body, the implant delivery device including:

a target member having a distal end portion configured to be disposed within the body adjacent a target location;

an insertion member movably coupled to the target member, a distal end portion of the insertion member configured to be disposed within the body and selectively coupled to the implant; and

an electronic circuit system configured to produce an electronic signal in proportion to a distance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member when the target member and the insertion member are disposed within the body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the distal end portion of the target member is configured to be inserted percutaneously via a first incision; and

the distal end portion of the insertion member is configured to define a passageway within the body, the passageway extending from a second incision to the target location, the second incision being physically distinct from the first incision.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the target location includes at least one of a nerve or a muscle; and

the distal end portion of target member is configured to electrically stimulate at least one of the nerve or the muscle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

the implant, the implant being an electronic implant including any one of a microstimulator, an elongate electronic implant, an electronic lead, an electrode, or a sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic signal is associated with at least one of an impedance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, a resistance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, a capacitance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, and an inductance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic signal is associated with a first impedance and a second impedance, the first impedance measured between a first electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the insertion member and a second electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the insertion member, the second impedance measured between at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode and a third electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the target member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic signal is associated with an impedance between the implant and the distal end portion of the target member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic signal is associated with at least one of a textual output or an audible output.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

an implant delivery device configured to deliver an implant into a body, the implant delivery device including:

a target member having a distal end portion configured to be disposed within the body adjacent a target location;

an insertion member movably coupled to the target member, a distal end portion of the insertion member configured to be disposed within the body and selectively coupled to the implant; and

a position indicator configured to indicate a position of the distal end portion of the target member relative to the distal end portion of the insertion member when the target member and the insertion member are disposed within the body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the position indicator includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the target member, the first portion including a plurality of graduated markings, the second portion coupled to the insertion member, the second portion including a pointer configured to move relative to the graduated markings of the first member.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the position indicator is configured to produce a visual indication associated with a distance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the position indicator is configured to produce a textual indication associated with a distance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the position indicator is configured to produce an audible indication associated with a distance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the position indicator is configured to produce an output associated with a position of the distal end portion of the target member relative to the distal end portion of the insertion member, the output based on at least one of an impedance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, a resistance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, a capacitance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member, and an inductance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the insertion member.

15. A method, comprising:

inserting a distal end portion of a target probe into a body;

inserting an implant into the body;

measuring a distance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the implant after inserting the distal end portion of the target probe and inserting the implant; and

moving the implant within the body in response to the measuring.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the inserting of the distal end portion of the target probe is performed using an implant delivery device via a first incision; and

the inserting of the implant is performed using the implant delivery device via a second incision, the second incision being physically distinct from the first incision.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the measuring includes measuring at least one of an impedance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the implant, a capacitance between the distal end portion of the target member and the implant, and an inductance between the distal end portion of the target member and the implant.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the inserting of the implant is performed using an implant delivery device movably coupled to the target probe, a distal end portion of the implant delivery device configured to be selectively coupled to the implant; and

the measuring includes measuring at least one of an impedance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the distal end portion of the implant delivery device, a resistance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the distal end portion of the implant delivery device, a capacitance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the implant delivery device, and an inductance between the distal end portion of the target member and the distal end portion of the implant delivery device.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the inserting of the implant is performed using an implant delivery device movably coupled to the target probe, a distal end portion of the implant delivery device configured to be selectively coupled to the implant; and

the measuring includes measuring a first impedance and a second impedance, the first impedance measured between a first electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the insertion member and a second electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the insertion member, the second impedance measured between at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode and a third electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the target probe.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising producing a textual indication associated with the distance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the implant.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising producing an audible indication associated with the distance between the distal end portion of the target probe and the implant.

22. A processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to perform a process, the code comprising code to:

calculate a first impedance measurement, the first impedance measurement associated with an impedance between a first electrode disposed at a distal end portion of an insertion member and a second electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the insertion member when the distal end portion of the insertion member is disposed within a body;

calculate a second impedance measurement, the second impedance measurement associated with an impedance between at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode and a target probe disposed within the body;

determine a characteristic impedance of a bodily tissue based on the first impedance measurement; and

determine a distance between the distal end portion of the insertion member and the target probe based on the characteristic impedance and the second impedance measurement.

23. The processor-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the code further comprises code to:

produce electronic output associated with the distance between the distal end portion of the insertion member and the target probe.

24. The processor-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the code further comprises code to:

produce an audible associated with the distance between the distal end portion of the insertion member and the target probe.