Claims
- 1. A tissue-implantable electrode, particularly a stimulating electrode, including an electrode head and an electrical lead connected thereto, the head consisting of a vitreous carbon body superficially activated by an oxidizing treatment, said treatment forming a thin, macroscopically-smooth surface layer of carbon having a microporous structure, whereby polarization losses which occur at the boundary surface between the electrode and the tissue are kept low, and the stimulation threshold voltage remains substantially constant over the duration of the implantation.
- 2. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the surface layer has a pore diameter of about 5 Angstroms.
- 3. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the surface layer is formed by heating said vitreous carbon body in an oxidizing atmosphere.
- 4. The electrode of claim 3 wherein the vitreous carbon body is heated in air at about 400.degree.-800.degree. C.
- 5. The electrode according to claim 3 wherein the vitreous carbon body is heated in air at a temperature above about 400.degree. C.
- 6. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the vitreous carbon body further comprises about 50-500 .mu.m pores adapted to adhere said electrode to said tissue.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2613072 |
Mar 1976 |
DEX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 178,601 filed Aug. 15, 1980, now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 778,213, filed Mar. 16, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1219017 |
Jan 1971 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Kadefors et al, "A Percutaneous Electrode . . . ", Med. & Biol. Eng., vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 129-135, 1970. |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
178601 |
Aug 1980 |
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Parent |
778213 |
Mar 1977 |
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