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Safety of multi-channel stimulation implants: a single blocking capacitor per channel is not sufficient after single-fault failure

Nonclercq, A; Lonys, L; Vanhoestenberghe, A; Demosthenous, A; Donaldson, N; (2012) Safety of multi-channel stimulation implants: a single blocking capacitor per channel is not sufficient after single-fault failure. Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing , 50 (4) pp. 403-410. 10.1007/s11517-012-0889-5. Green open access

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Abstract

One reason given for placing capacitors in series with stimulation electrodes is that they prevent direct current flow and therefore tissue damage under fault conditions. We show that this is not true for multiplexed multi-channel stimulators with one capacitor per channel. A test bench of two stimulation channels, two stimulation tripoles and a saline bath was used to measure the direct current flowing through the electrodes under two different single fault conditions. The electrodes were passively discharged between stimulation pulses. For the particular condition used (16 mA, 1 ms stimulation pulse at 20 Hz with electrodes placed 5 cm apart), the current ranged from 38 to 326 μA depending on the type of fault. The variation of the fault current with time, stimulation amplitude, stimulation frequency and distance between the electrodes is given. Possible additional methods to improve safety are discussed.

Type: Article
Title: Safety of multi-channel stimulation implants: a single blocking capacitor per channel is not sufficient after single-fault failure
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1007/s11517-012-0889-5
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11517-012-0889-5
Language: English
Additional information: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11517-012-0889-5.
Keywords: Electric Stimulation, Electrodes, Implanted, Electronics, Medical, Equipment Design, Equipment Failure, Equipment Safety, Humans, Prostheses and Implants
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci > Department of Ortho and MSK Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Electronic and Electrical Eng
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Med Phys and Biomedical Eng
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1343049
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