Cuff Leads
Cuff leads that wrap the nerve
Self-sizing cuff electrodes that wrap a peripheral nerve to stimulate and record, for acute studies and for chronic applications.
What they are
Cuff leads place contacts directly around a peripheral nerve, so signals travel in both directions between the device and the nervous system. An integrated closing mechanism holds the cuff in place, with no suture material required. Different cuff styles suit different nerves and study types, from very small nerves in pre-clinical work to larger nerves in translational research and bioelectronic medicine.
The design space
Configurable parameters include the cuff style (for example sling, spiral, helix, tunnel or hook), the inner diameter from sub-millimeter for the smallest nerves up to several millimeters, the number of contacts from a single pair up to multi-contact arrays, the cable entry (orthogonal, tangential, lateral or parallel to the nerve) and open or connectorized cable ends.
The cuff families
We offer four cuff families, each suited to a different nerve size and study type. Tunnel cuffs use a closing mechanism with color-coded flaps for easy handling, with diameters from 0.2 mm. Sling cuffs use a buckle-and-belt closing mechanism, from 0.1 mm. Spiral cuffs are self-adjusting to accommodate nerve swelling and are suggested with at least 2.5 turns around the nerve, from 1.5 mm. Helix cuffs, based on designs from the Huntington Medical Research Institute, are shaped for minimal compression to avoid nerve irritation, from 2.0 mm.
Beyond stimulation and recording, cuffs can also block the propagation of neural signals. Sling and tunnel cuffs can be removed from the implantation site without affecting their function, and high-channel versions are available on request. All are built with our AirRay technology, reaching contact sizes down to 0.04 mm and thicknesses down to 0.08 mm.
How we build them
Pt/Ir contacts in medical-grade silicone, produced with our AirRay technology. The same vertically integrated process makes our own implantable systems, which is why a cuff can start as a research part and grow into a component of a full active implant.
From standard to custom
Standard cuff variants for R&D are available through our Chamfr store. For a specific nerve, contact layout or chronic application, we develop the cuff with you.
