An intracranial prosthesis comprised of a flat body having an interior ultrasound-compatible window and means about the outer portion capable of engaging a plurality of diagnostic instruments and/or intracranial delivery systems so that a practicing medical professional can monitor certain parameters of a patient or deliver therapeutic agents to the patient while using an ultrasound-monitoring device to image the patient's brain. The prosthesis is designed to allow for the continuous, uninterrupted, simultaneous monitoring of a number of parameters of a patient's brain at the patient's bedside.

A computer implemented method of identifying contacts of an electrode implanted into the brain of a subject via bolts through the skull of the subject, based on an image of the subject, the method comprising: identifying at least one bolt region of the image corresponding to a bolt; identifying one or more contact regions of the image corresponding to electrode contacts; determining contact regions associated with an identified bolt region by searching for identified contact regions, the search being performed based on a search axis extending from the identified bolt region, the direction of the search axis being determined based on the identified bolt region.

A signal tracking system including: one fixation element to be secured to a rigid body part of the patient surrounding a target body part, the fixation element further including a mapping element, one tracker element to be secured to the fixation element to track, in real time, the internal tracker, and a control unit including a memory to store an internal referential and one image displaying the target body part and one fixation element. The control unit is designed to define, inside the internal referential, at least one 3D frame position attached to the at least one fixation element, and to precisely locate each point of the target body part, the control unit is further designed to precisely localize, in real time, the internal tracker inside the target body part.

A minimally invasive, microchip-based system which enables continuous long-term recording of subjects (e.g., freely moving rodents) under study including subject behavior, subject brain neurovascular activity, subject heart rate, subject intercranial pressure, subject temperature, and subject head movement is described herein. These systems may also include microchips configured to deliver stimuli such as heat stimuli and measure these various parameters of subjects before, during, and after stimuli. The systems may afford measurement protocols in one or more subjects such as conditioned place/aversion assays and/or pharmacological or medical device testing.

MRI compatible localization and/or guidance systems for facilitating placement of an interventional therapy and/or device in vivo include: (a) a mount adapted for fixation to a patient; (b) a targeting cannula with a lumen configured to attach to the mount so as to be able to controllably translate in at least three dimensions; and (c) an elongate probe configured to snugly slidably advance and retract in the targeting cannula lumen, the elongate probe comprising at least one of a stimulation or recording electrode. In operation, the targeting cannula can be aligned with a first trajectory and positionally adjusted to provide a desired internal access path to a target location with a corresponding trajectory for the elongate probe. Automated systems for determining an MR scan plane associated with a trajectory and for determining mount adjustments are also described.

A cerebrospinal-fluid-pressure-measuring device including a pressure gauge including a hollow cylindrical body for inserting through a skull and having a lower and upper end, and an inner surface, a membrane attached to the lower end and to move under a pressure of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull, and coils including a stationary coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the inner surface so as to remain stationary, and a moving coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the membrane so that the moving coil moves when the membrane moves under the pressure, one of the coils being configured as a transmitting coil and another of the coils being configured as a receiving coil, and a control unit to apply an input signal to the transmitting coil and receive an output signal from the receiving coil, and to generate an indication of the pressure.

Systems and methods for providing an electrical interface to a body are provided. In one embodiment, an implantable module is disclosed, comprising: an implantable electrode array, implantable within a body and capable of providing a plurality of communication channels for communicating electrical signals detected in a body; an amplifier circuit for processing electrical signals received from the electrode array; a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving telemetry data between the amplifier circuit and a wireless receiver located outside of the body; and a sealed enclosure that houses the amplifier circuit and the wireless transmitter and is biocompatible with surrounding tissue, the enclosure having a window that is transparent to a wireless medium used by the wireless transceiver. In another embodiment, a wireless transceiver and amplifier is detachably coupled to a transcutaneous attachment device, and the implantable electrode array is electrically coupled to the interface board via the transcutaneous attachment device.

An intracranial pressure monitoring device includes a housing defining a first internal chamber, a plurality of strain gauges disposed on an inner surface of a diaphragm defined by a wall of the first internal chamber, a device for generating orientation signals, and circuitry coupled to the plurality of strain gauges and to the device. The circuitry is configured to generate intracranial pressure data from signals received from the plurality of strain gauges, generate orientation data based on the orientation signals received from the device, and store the intracranial pressure data and the orientation data in a computer readable storage such that the intracranial pressure data and orientation data are associated with each other.

A kit or arrangement for securing a burr hole plug that includes a guide base having an upper flange, a lower flange, and a connecting member coupling the upper flange to the lower flange, each of the upper flange and the lower flange defining one or more guide holes, wherein the one or more guide holes of the upper flange are aligned with the one or more guide holes of the lower flange; a drill shank including a cutting element and a main shaft that are configured to pass through any one of the one or more guide holes in the upper flange; and one or more guide collets including a collet shaft and a fastener tube extending from the collet shaft to receive a fastener, where the collet shaft and fastener tube are configured for insertion into any one of the guide holes in the upper flange.

Systems and methods for wireless deep brain stimulation using ultrasonic waves. Implantable device(s) for intracranial use within a subject may comprise at least one stimulation means, one or more circuits for collecting system data, a receiver, and a transmitter for communications using ultrasonic waves. A wearable controller external to the subject, the wearable controller configured to: communicate with the implantable device(s) using the ultrasonic waves and obtain the system data, analyze the system data to determine whether the subject is experiencing or is expected to experience an adverse medical condition, and communicate with the implantable device(s) using the ultrasonic waves to apply a stimulation to treat the adverse medical condition. The system may be used to treat Parkinson's Disease, for example.