Biomechanical performance of an ovine model of intradural spinal cord stimulation

Abstract

The authors are developing a novel type of spinal cord stimulator, designed to be placed directly on the pial surface of the spinal cord, for more selective activation of target tissues within the dorsal columns. For pre-clinical testing of the device components, an ovine model has been implemented which utilizes the agility and flexibility of a sheep’s cervical and upper thoracic regions, thus providing an optimal environment of accelerated stress-cycling on small gauge lead wires implanted along the dorsal spinal columns. The results are presented of representative biomechanical measurements of the angles of rotation and the angular velocities and accelerations associated with the relevant head, neck and upper back motions, and these findings are interpreted in terms of their impact on assessing the robustness of the stimulator implant systems.

• Biomechanics
• in vivo models
• ovine physiology
• spinal cord
• spinal cord stimulator

Acknowledgements

We thank Hiroyuki Oya, MD, Hiroto Kawasaki, MD, W. R. Smoker, MD, Mahdi Zamanighomi, Sara K. Shivapour and H. Chen for several useful discussions and technical assistance. We also thank R. Shurig and colleagues of Evergreen Medical Technologies LLC for skillful fabrication of the prototype HSCMS devices such as that shown in Figure 1.