Controllable electrode for deep brain stimulation

1. A controllable catheter ( 10 ) comprising:

an elongated shaft ( 13 ), which is subdivided into multiple shaft segments;

tilt segments ( 12 ) of which at least two of the multiple shaft segments are implemented with;

said tilt segments ( 12 ) each connected to at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ), so that said tilt segments ( 12 ) can be tilted about a desired tilt angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft ( 13 );

wherein each of the at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ) is individually controllable and allows individual tilt of a corresponding tilt segment ( 12 ) by the desired tilt angle;

a motion sensor, which records a displacement of catheter ( 10 ) in a distal and/or proximal direction;

a control device connected with the at least one adjustment device; and,

wherein said control device is configured to

automatically monitor and adjust a respective setting of tilt angles of individual tilt segments ( 12 ) based on an angle of a front segment ( 12 ) located in a furthermost distal direction at each said displacement of said elongated shaft ( 13 ) in said distal and/or proximal direction as determined by said motion sensor;

set a respective proximal tilt segment ( 12 ) to a first tilt angle, that a distally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said distally adjacent tilt segment was located at a first displacement where the respective proximal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at a second displacement in the distal direction by a length of a tilt segment ( 12 );

set a respective distal tilt segment ( 12 ) to said first tilt angle, that a proximally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said proximally adjacent tilt segment was located at said second displacement where the respective distal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at said first displacement in the proximal direction by a length of a tilt segment.

2. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 wherein said control device is further configured to

continuously change tilt angles of the tilt segments ( 12 ) while the elongated shaft ( 13 ) is displaced.

3. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said elongated shaft ( 13 ) has a diameter of less than 3.3 mm.

4. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustment device comprises tension wires ( 16 ).

5. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tilt segments ( 12 ) has at least one electrode.

6. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , device is further configured to:

enable a surgeon to control a tilt of a front segment ( 12 ) located in a furthermost distal direction.

7. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the controllable catheter ( 10 ) is a leader catheter.

8. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the controllable catheter ( 10 ) is a stimulation catheter.

9. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustment device comprises at least one piezoelectric actuator ( 20 ).

10. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least one adjustment device comprises at least two piezoelectric actuators ( 20 ) arranged in a ring.

11. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 10 , wherein each of the at least two piezoelectric actuators ( 20 ) is individually controllable.

12. A controllable catheter ( 10 ) comprising:

an elongated shaft ( 13 ), which is subdivided into multiple shaft segments;

tilt segments ( 12 ) of which at least two of the multiple shaft segments are implemented with;

said tilt segments ( 12 ) each connected to at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ), so that said tilt segments ( 12 ) can be tilted about a desired tilt angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft ( 13 );

wherein each of the at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ) is individually controllable and allows individual tilt of a corresponding tilt segment ( 12 ) by the desired tilt angle;

a motion sensor, which records a displacement of catheter ( 10 ) in a distal and/or proximal direction;

a control device connected with the at least one adjustment device; and,

wherein said control device is configured to

automatically monitor and adjust a respective setting of tilt angles of individual tilt segments ( 12 ) based on an angle of a front segment ( 12 ) located in a furthermost distal direction at each said displacement of said elongated shaft ( 13 ) in said distal and/or proximal direction as determined by said motion sensor;

set a respective proximal tilt segment ( 12 ) to a first tilt angle, that a distally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said distally adjacent tilt segment was located at a first displacement where the respective proximal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at a second displacement in the distal direction by a length of a tilt segment ( 12 );

set a respective distal tilt segment ( 12 ) to said first tilt angle, that a proximally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said proximally adjacent tilt segment was located at said second displacement where the respective distal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at said first displacement in the proximal direction by a length of a tilt segment ( 12 );

continuously change tilt angles of the tilt segments ( 12 ) while the elongated shaft ( 13 ) is displaced.

13. The controllable catheter ( 10 ) according to claim 12 , wherein said control device is further configured to:

enable a surgeon to control a tilt of a front segment ( 12 ) located in a furthermost distal direction.

14. A controllable catheter ( 10 ) comprising:

an elongated shaft ( 13 ), which is subdivided into multiple shaft segments;

tilt segments ( 12 ) of which at least two of the multiple shaft segments are implemented with;

said tilt segments ( 12 ) each connected to at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ), so that said tilt segments ( 12 ) can be tilted about a desired tilt angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft ( 13 );

wherein each of the at least one adjustment device ( 16 , 20 ) is individually controllable and allows individual tilt of a corresponding tilt segment ( 12 ) by the desired tilt angle;

a motion sensor, which records a displacement of catheter ( 10 ) in a distal and/or proximal direction;

a control device connected with the at least one adjustment device; and,

wherein said control device is configured to

enable a surgeon to control a tilt of a front segment ( 12 ) located in a furthermost distal direction;

automatically monitor and adjust a respective setting of tilt angles of remaining tilt segments ( 12 ) other than said front segment ( 12 ), based on an angle of said front segment at each said displacement of said elongated shaft ( 13 ) in said distal and/or proximal direction as determined by said motion sensor;

set a respective proximal tilt segment ( 12 ) to a first tilt angle, that a distally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said distally adjacent tilt segment was located at a first displacement where the respective proximal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at a second displacement in the distal direction by a length of a tilt segment ( 12 );

set a respective distal tilt segment ( 12 ) to said first tilt angle, that a proximally adjacent tilt segment ( 12 ) tilted at when said proximally adjacent tilt segment was located at said second displacement where the respective distal tilt segment is currently located at in a tissue channel when said catheter is displaced at said first displacement in the proximal direction by a length of a tilt segment ( 12 );

continuously change tilt angles of the tilt segments ( 12 ) while the elongated shaft ( 13 ) is displaced.