Miniature implantable device and methods
Some implementations may provide an implantable wirelessly powered device that includes: one or more electrodes configured to apply one or more electrical pulses to an excitable tissue; and a first antenna configured to: receive, from a second antenna and through electrical radiative coupling, an input signal containing electrical energy, the second antenna being physically separate from the implantable device; and one or more circuits electrically connected to the first antenna, the circuits configured to: create the one or more electrical pulses suitable for stimulation of excitable tissue using the electrical energy contained in the input signal; and supply the one or more electrical pulses to the one or more electrodes, wherein the implantable device is shaped and arranged for delivery into a subject's body through an introducer or a needle of 18 gauge or smaller.
1. An implantation system, comprising:
a stylet comprising an elongate member and a first mating feature at a distal end of the elongate member; and
an implantable device configured to receive a wireless signal and to generate one or more electrical pulses from the wireless signal for exciting a tissue, the implantable device comprising:
a cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis of the implantable device,
a plurality of electrodes distributed along the cylindrical body and configured to deliver the one or more electrical pulses,
an anchoring feature adjacent the cylindrical body and disposed proximal to the plurality of electrodes for securing the implantable device to the tissue, and
a second mating feature disposed proximal to the anchoring feature, disposed in-line with the longitudinal axis of the implantable device, and defining a proximal end of the implantable device, the second mating feature configured to mate with the first mating feature such that the stylet and the implantable device can be delivered percutaneously to a body of a subject together as an assembly;
wherein the assembly of the stylet and the implantable device is sized and shaped to be passed through a lumen of an introducer needle that is of gauge 18 or smaller and further through a percutaneous incision site on the body, and
wherein the stylet is sufficiently rigid such that the assembly of the stylet and the implantable device can be passed through the lumen of the introducer needle and further through the percutaneous incision site on the body.
2. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the stylet is a placement stylet.
3. The implantation system of claim 2 , wherein the first mating feature of the stylet includes a protrusion and the second mating feature of the implantable device includes an indentation, the protrusion being configured to mate with the indentation.
4. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the stylet is a suction stylet that comprises a shaft, an inner plunger within the shaft, a suction tip, and an air chamber between the suction tip and a distal end of the inner plunger.
5. The implantation system of claim 4 , wherein the stylet is configured to mate with the implantable device when a sliding motion of the inner plunger in the shaft creates a negative pressure in the air chamber to draw the second mating feature of the implantable device onto the suction tip.
6. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring feature comprises a passageway through which a suture can be passed to secure the implantable device to the tissue.
7. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the implantable device further comprises an antenna for receiving the wireless signal.
8. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second mating features has a convex profile and one of the first and second mating features has a concave profile.
9. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes is cylindrical in shape and is arranged in-line with the cylindrical body.
10. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring feature is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the implantable device.
11. The implantation system of claim 1 , wherein the implantable device further comprises a smooth, round tip that defines a distal end of the implantable device.