PurposeTo assess the safety and efficacy of chronic electrical stimulation of the retina with a suprachoroidal visual prosthesis.MethodsSeven normally-sighted feline subjects were implanted for 96–143 days with a suprachoroidal electrode array and six were chronically stimulated for 70–105 days at levels that activated the visual cortex. Charge balanced, biphasic, current pulses were delivered to platinum electrodes in a monopolar stimulation mode. Retinal integrity/function and the mechanical stability of the implant were assessed monthly using electroretinography (ERG), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus photography. Electrode impedances were measured weekly and electrically-evoked visual cortex potentials (eEVCPs) were measured monthly to verify that chronic stimuli were suprathreshold. At the end of the chronic stimulation period, thresholds were confirmed with multi-unit recordings from the visual cortex. Randomized, blinded histological assessments were performed by two pathologists to compare the stimulated and non-stimulated retina and adjacent tissue.ResultsAll subjects tolerated the surgical and stimulation procedure with no evidence of discomfort or unexpected adverse outcomes. After an initial post-operative settling period, electrode arrays were mechanically stable. Mean electrode impedances were stable between 11–15 kΩ during the implantation period. Visually-evoked ERGs & OCT were normal, and mean eEVCP thresholds did not substantially differ over time. In 81 of 84 electrode-adjacent tissue samples examined, there were no discernible histopathological differences between stimulated and unstimulated tissue. In the remaining three tissue samples there were minor focal fibroblastic and acute inflammatory responses.ConclusionsChronic suprathreshold electrical stimulation of the retina using a suprachoroidal electrode array evoked a minimal tissue response and no adverse clinical or histological findings. Moreover, thresholds and electrode impedance remained stable for stimulation durations of up to 15 weeks. This study has demonstrated the safety and efficacy of suprachoroidal stimulation with charge balanced stimulus currents.

BackgroundCurrent surgical techniques for retinal prosthetic implantation require long and complicated surgery, which can increase the risk of complications and adverse outcomes.MethodThe suprachoroidal position is known to be an easier location to access surgically, and so this study aimed to develop a surgical procedure for implanting a prototype suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis. The array implantation procedure was developed in 14 enucleated eyes. A full-thickness scleral incision was made parallel to the intermuscular septum and superotemporal to the lateral rectus muscle. A pocket was created in the suprachoroidal space, and the moulded electrode array was inserted. The scleral incision was closed and scleral anchor point sutured. In 9 of the 14 eyes examined, the device insertion was obstructed by the posterior ciliary neurovascular bundle. Subsequently, the position of this neurovascular bundle in 10 eyes was characterized. Implantation and lead routing procedure was then developed in six human cadavers. The array was tunnelled forward from behind the pinna to the orbit. Next, a lateral canthotomy was made. Lead fixation was established by creating an orbitotomy drilled in the frontal process of the zygomatic bone. The lateral rectus muscle was detached, and implantation was carried out. Finally, pinna to lateral canthus measurements were taken on 61 patients in order to determine optimal lead length.ResultsThese results identified potential anatomical obstructions and informed the anatomical fitting of the suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis.ConclusionAs a result of this work, a straightforward surgical approach for accurate anatomical suprachoroidal array and lead placement was developed for clinical application.

Recently, there has been interest in investigating diamond as a material for use in biomedical implants. Diamond can be rendered electrically conducting by doping with boron or nitrogen. This has led to inclusion of boron doped and nitrogen included diamond elements as electrodes and/or feedthroughs for medical implants. As these conductive device elements are not encapsulated, there is a need to establish their clinical safety for use in implants. This article compares the biocompatibility of electrically conducting boron doped diamond (BDD) and nitrogen included diamond films and electrically insulating poly crystalline diamond films against a silicone negative control and a BDD sample treated with stannous octoate as a positive control. Samples were surgically implanted into the back muscle of a guinea pig for a period of 4-15 weeks, excised and the implant site sectioned and submitted for histological analysis. All forms of diamond exhibited a similar or lower thickness of fibrotic tissue encapsulating compared to the silicone negative control samples. All forms of diamond exhibited similar or lower levels of acute, chronic inflammatory, and foreign body responses compared to the silicone negative control indicating that the materials are well tolerated in vivo.

No abstract

Successful visual prostheses require stable, long-term attachment. Epiretinal prostheses, in particular, require attachment methods to fix the prosthesis onto the retina. The most common method is fixation with a retinal tack; however, tacks cause retinal trauma, and surgical proficiency is important to ensure optimal placement of the prosthesis near the macula. Accordingly, alternate attachment methods are required. In this study, we detail a novel method of magnetic attachment for an epiretinal prosthesis using two prostheses components positioned on opposing sides of the retina. The magnetic attachment technique was piloted in a feline animal model (chronic, nonrecovery implantation). We also detail a new method to reliably control the magnet coupling force using heat. It was found that the force exerted upon the tissue that separates the two components could be minimized as the measured force is proportionately smaller at the working distance. We thus detail, for the first time, a surgical method using customized magnets to position and affix an epiretinal prosthesis on the retina. The position of the epiretinal prosthesis is reliable, and its location on the retina is accurately controlled by the placement of a secondary magnet in the suprachoroidal location. The electrode position above the retina is less than 50 microns at the center of the device, although there were pressure points seen at the two edges due to curvature misalignment. The degree of retinal compression found in this study was unacceptably high; nevertheless, the normal structure of the retina remained intact under the electrodes.