HOME Procedures of long-term implantable monitoring in muscles
Implantable flexible electrodes hold significant importance in the field of biomedical research as they enable in-depth study of physiological activities, aid in disease diagnosis and treatment, support rehabilitation and biofeedback, contribute to drug development and toxicity testing, and drive the development of neural control interfaces. These electrodes provide long-term, high-resolution monitoring data, fostering scientific advancements and improving medical and rehabilitation practices. They are poised to lead the way for further innovations in the biomedical field. With decades of exploration and innovation in the field of flexible implantable electronic devices, our research group has accumulated a wealth of experience in implanting flexible and stretchable electrodes. To advance the development of stretchable implantable devices, this section primarily shares our methods and data regarding pre-implantation preparation, the execution of implantation experiments, long-term data collection after device implantation, and animal dissections. We believe that by sharing these crucial techniques and data, we can not only accelerate the progress of scientific research but also provide valuable references and guidance to a broader community of researchers. We welcome like-minded researchers to engage in discussions, collaborate, and jointly explore the future of flexible and stretchable implantable electronics, bringing forth more innovations to the field of biomedical research and healthcare.

1. Preparation Before Implantation

1.       Electrode Preparation and Testing Various methods, including magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, and chemical synthesis, are employed to fabricate flexible and stretchable electrodes. These electrodes come in different forms, such as thin film electrodes, fiber electrodes, and gel electrodes. Upon completing electrode fabrication, they undergo rigorous testing to assess their properties, including stretchability, channel conductivity, interference, and waterproofing. This process ensures that the implanted electrodes exhibit excellent electrical conductivity, stretchability, waterproofing, and a high degree of reliability and stability. 2.        Preparation and Testing of Soft-Hard Interfaces and Skull Interfaces The flexible electrode interface utilizes anisotropic conductive film to connect to one end of a custom PCB board. The other end of the PCB board is w...

2. Electrode Implantation

Taking the example of fiber electrode implantation, the fur on the lateral side of the hind thigh to the femur area, the back, and the skull area is shaved using an electric shaver. A syringe needle is inserted through the tibialis anterior muscle in the direction of the muscle fibers. The fiber electrode is introduced into the needle's cavity along with the needle's tip, and then the needle is slowly withdrawn from the muscle bundle, leaving the fiber electrode in the muscle. To secure the electrode, the end of the fiber electrode is fixed to the muscle fascia using a suturing technique. The soft-hard interface is extended under the subcutaneous fascia of the rat towards its back, where the grounding part of the electrode is secured. The rear end of the soft-hard interface, connected by stainless steel wires, is extended under the subcutaneous fascia to the rat's skull. After disinfecting the skull surface with an alcohol swab, the skin over an area of 1.5 cm * 1.0 cm ...

3.Data Collection After Electrode Implantation

Data on electromyographic signals, signal-to-noise ratios, impedance, and other relevant measurements were collected internally from rats with multi-channel fiber electrodes, stainless steel wire electrodes, and thin film electrodes implanted for 43 weeks. Real-time electromyographic monitoring during rat running. ...

4. Dissection

Anatomy Procedure Template for Long-term Implantation of Electrodes in Rats Rat ID: Dissection Date: Overview of Rat's Basic Information: (with illustrated explanation, including channel and other relevant details):  (with illustrated explanation, and indication of the correspondence between its channel and electrode channels): (with illustrated explanation, indicating the electrode implantation site and the path of the device channels): 1.       Conduct the final data collection according to the established data acquisition protocol for this rat. □Analyze data for any unusual observations, and make preliminary assessments of the causes if anomalies are detected. □Capture images of the implantation site    □Capture images of the soft/hard interface 3.  ...