Brain stimulation electrode line and insertion device for brain stimulation electrode lines

1. An apparatus for electric stimulation of deep brain areas comprising:

a brain stimulation electrode line ( 10 ) comprising

an elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) coupled with a convex carrier ( 27 ) on a distal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body and at least one stimulation electrode ( 18 ) near said distal end which is configured to deliver electric pulses to body tissue during use;

at least one ultrasonic transducer ( 20 ) up to maximally fifteen ultrasonic transducers comprising

a central ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 ) coupled with the convex carrier and aligned concentrically to point in a forward direction along a longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) and

four peripheral ultrasonic transducers ( 20 . 2 ) coupled with the convex carrier and aligned to point obliquely forward in four different directions and

wherein said central and four peripheral ultrasonic transducers ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) are arranged to detect reflected ultrasound in a detection range which is oriented distally in five different directions and are further configured to detect reflections of ultrasonic waves that are characteristic of intercranial blood vessels; and,

an insertion device for brain stimulation electrode lines coupled with said brain stimulation electrode line ( 10 ) and comprising

a signal processing unit ( 30 ) comprising

a control and analyzer unit ( 36 ), which is connected at least indirectly to the central and four peripheral ultrasonic transducers ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) each of which are configured to generate a signal which indicates a distance to a detected blood vessel, and a relative lateral position of said detected blood vessel relative to a lengthened longitudinal axis of the distal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) wherein the control and analyzer unit ( 36 ) is configured to determine the distance to and relative lateral position of said detected blood vessel in relation to the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) based on the generated signals;

a display unit ( 38 , 40 ) coupled with said control and analyzer unit ( 36 ) and comprising an optical display configured to display information associated with said distance from said detected blood vessel and said relative lateral position of said detected blood vessel obtained from said central and said four peripheral ultrasonic transducers in five display sectors ( 42 , 44 ) respectively that correspond to said forward direction and said four different directions wherein said five display sectors comprise different areas on said optical display wherein said display of said information occurs during insertion of said brain stimulation electrode line in order to avoid intracranial bleeding.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) is connected to at least one electric line which is guided as a signal line ( 22 ) to a proximal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) and wherein the at least one electrical line is configured to transmit detection signals to a connection at the proximal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ), wherein said detection signals are generated by a respective ultrasonic transducer on reception of reflected ultrasonic waves.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one electrical line is part of a line body fixedly connected to the at least one ultrasonic transducer, which is longitudinally movable inside of the elongated flexible electrode line body.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) is fixedly connected to the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) and is arranged in an area of the distal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ).

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) has a lumen into which the at least one ultrasonic transducer is removably inserted.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the lumen in the elongated flexible electrode line body is closed at the distal end by a closing body ( 24 ) made of a material which allows input and output coupling as well as transmission of ultrasonic waves with minor damping and which has, on an inside face of the closing body ( 24 ), a shape that corresponds to the shape of the at least one ultrasonic transducer at the distal end.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) comprises up to ten additional ultrasonic transducers aligned to point in other different directions than said different direction so that said elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ).

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is a Pulse Wave Doppler ultrasonic transducer configured to detect erythrocytes that move.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is or are connected to electric lines, which are guided as signal lines to a proximal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) and wherein the electric lines are configured to transmit detection signals that are generated when reflected ultrasonic waves are received.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) has a maximum outside diameter of 1 mm on a length of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ) that is intended for implantation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic signal generator ( 40 ) coupled with said control and analyzer unit and configured to acoustically reproduce said position of said detected blood vessel to a respective ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ).

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the display unit is configured to display said distance of the detected blood vessel from said central and said four peripheral ultrasonic transducers ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) in different colors.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the acoustic signal generator ( 40 ) is configured such that different distances between the detected blood vessel and the respective ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) are reproduced by different tone pitches or tone amplitude levels.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processing unit ( 30 ) comprises a channel switch ( 32 ) and an ultrasonic generator and receiver ( 34 ) coupled with said channel switch, wherein the channel switch ( 32 ) is connected to the at least one ultrasonic transducer ( 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 ) and the ultrasonic generator and receiver ( 34 ) is coupled with the control and analyzer unit, such that the ultrasonic generator and receiver ( 34 ) is connected to one of the at least one ultrasonic transducer in a time multiplexed manner.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the ultrasonic generator and receiver ( 34 ) is configured to generate and receive ultrasonic pulses whose frequency and ultrasonic energy are configured for intracerebral use, such that a blood vessel can be evaluated at a distance of 0-50 mm upstream from the distal end of the elongated flexible electrode line body ( 12 ).

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the five display sectors ( 42 , 44 ) are subdivided into subsectors, and the control and analyzer unit ( 36 ) is configured in conjunction with the optical display ( 38 ) to control the subsectors as a function of the distance from the detected blood vessel which the control and analyzer unit ( 36 ) has determined for the respective ultrasonic transducer.