Claims for Patent: 7,536,215

Summary for Patent: 7,536,215

Title:	Cortical sensing device with pads
Abstract:	A cortical sensing device is provided that includes a sensing element and at least one pad attached adjacent to a support member. The pad is substantially thin and made from flexibly-conformable material to accurately and safely place the sensing device upon the brain surface. Contact between the lower surface of the pad and the brain surface anchors the sensing element at a desired position against unintentional movement. The sensing device preferably has three circular pads equidistant from one another. A method to position a cortical sensing device upon a brain surface is also disclosed comprising the steps of providing a cortical sensing device having a sensing element and three dielectric pads attached to a support dielectric member where the member and the pads are thin and flexibly-conformable, placing the sensing device upon the brain surface at a desired position for sensing brain activity, and allowing the pads to conform to the brain surface so that interaction therebetween prevents movement of the sensing element along the brain surface.
Inventor(s):	Putz; David A. (Pewaukee, WI), Schnellberger; Alfons (Pfaffstaett, AT)
Assignee:	Ad-Tech Medical Instrument Corp. (Racine, WI)
Application Number:	11/132,488
Patent Claims:	1. A conical sensing device comprising: a support member having a lower surface and a center; a sensing element secured with respect to the support member at the center; and at least three substantially thin pads, the pads being spaced apart from each other and being individually integrally attached to the support member, each pad consisting of a single unitary layer of flexibly-conformable material having a center, a uniform thinness, and a lower surface, each pad being sufficiently thin to allow the lower surface to cling to a brain surface such that direct conformance alone between the lower surface and the brain surface anchors the sensing element at one of a plurality of desired positions, the lower surfaces of the pads together having a greater surface area than the lower surface of the support member, and the centers of the support member and pads not being collinear. 2. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the support member is comprised of a single layer of material. 3. The sensing device of claim 2 wherein the support member and the pads are formed from a unitary layer of material. 4. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein direct conformance between the lower surface and the brain surface is substantially complete. 5. The sensing device of claim 4 wherein the support member and the pads are formed from a dielectric, bio-compatible material. 6. The sensing device of claim 5 wherein the support member and the pads are silicone. 7. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the support member and each pad has a diameter and each pad is attached to the support member along an arc, the arc having a length less than the diameter of both the support member and the adjacent pad, whereby each pad can be folded along the adjacent arc independently of any other pad. 8. The sensing device of claim 7 wherein the sensing device has only three pads. 9. The sensing device of claim 8 wherein the support member and the pads are substantially circular and have circumferences, the pads being attached along the circumference of the support member such that the centers of the pads are equidistant to one another. 10. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the pads and the support member are each comprised of a single layer of material, the material having a thickness ranging from 0.003 in. to 0.020 in. 11. The sensing device of claim 10 wherein the thickness is less than 0.010 in. 12. The sensing device of claim 11 wherein the thickness is 0.006 in. 13. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the diameter of the support member and each pad ranges from 0.25 in. to 0.35 in. 14. The sensing device of claim 13 wherein the diameter is 0.30 in. 15. The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the sensing device has at most one sensing element secured to the support member. 16. The sensing device of claim 15 further comprising a lead extending from the sensing element. 17. The sensing device of claim 16 wherein the sensing element is an electrical contact for sensing cortical electrical activity and the lead is a lead wire. 18. The sensing device of claim 17 further comprising an external monitor and wherein the lead wire communicates cortical electrical activity to the external monitor. 19. The sensing device of claim 18 further comprising a support apparatus having a connector secured with respect thereto, the connector having an electrical conduit extending to the external monitor, and wherein the lead wire has a socket, the socket being sized to snugly engage a connecting pin on the connector. 20. The sensing device of claim 19 wherein the support apparatus further includes an adjustable clamp adapted to receive a skull, whereby the apparatus can be clamped to the skull during surgery. 21. The sensing device of claim 20 wherein the support apparatus further includes: a post having an axis and proximal and distal ends; a mount having the connector secured with respect thereto and being secured with respect to the distal end; the clamp having upper and lower clamping portions, the lower clamping portion extending from the proximal end and the upper clamping portion being slidably mounted with respect to the post in registry with the lower clamping portion; and an adjustment member threadably mounted with respect to the post between the mount and the upper clamping portion, whereby the upper clamping portion is limited from sliding axially towards the proximal end by the adjustment member. 22. A method of positioning a cortical sensing device on a brain surface comprising: providing a cortical sensing device having a support dielectric member, the member having a lower surface and a center and the member supporting a sensing element at the center, and three dielectric pads, the pads being spaced apart from each other and being individually integrally attached to the support dielectric member, the member and the pads being substantially thin and flexibly-conformable, each pad consisting of a single unitary layer of uniform thinness having a lower surface, each pad being sufficiently thin to allow the lower surface to cling to the brain surface, the lower surfaces of the pads together have a greater surface area than the lower surface of the support member, and each pad having a center wherein the centers of the member and the pads are not collinear; placing the sensing device upon the brain surface such that the sensing element is at one of a plurality of desired positions for sensing brain activity; and allowing the pads to conform to the brain surface whereby direct conformance alone therebetween prevents movement of the sensing device along the brain surface. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising bathing the sensing device in a solution wherein the solution is saline or sterile water. 24. The method of claim 22 wherein the sensing element senses brain activity and the sensing device includes a lead extending from the sensing element for communicating brain activity to an external monitor. 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the sensing element is an electrical contact for sensing cortical electrical activity and the lead is a lead wire.

Details for Patent 7,536,215

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	ZOSTAVAX	zoster vaccine live	For Injection	125123	05/25/2006		2039-09-22