Insinuating electronics in the brain

Abstract

There is an expanding interface between electronic engineering and neurosurgery. Rapid advances in microelectronics and materials science, driven largely by consumer demand, are inspiring and accelerating development of a new generation of diagnostic, therapeutic, and prosthetic devices for implantation in the nervous system. This paper reviews some of the basic science underpinning their development and outlines some opportunities and challenges for their use in neurosurgery.

Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Glioma: Systematic Review

“…MEMs combine miniaturized bio‐electro‐mechanical elements within dimensions ranging from several millimetres to below one micron. They enable the development of complete systems‐on‐chip: sensors that collect information, process it locally, and direct actuators that alter the surrounding environment [Hughes, ]. Implantable sensors can, for example, detect minute changes in pH, temperature, pressure, or molecule concentrations to identify tumor recurrence [Kang et al, ].…”

“…An implanted early warning system might allow proactive, rather than reactive, use of secondary therapies and differentiate true tumor progression from chemoradiotherapy lesions [Hughes, 2016]. Combining the sensor array with a component capable of lesioning adjacent tissue would allow immediate in situ treatment.…”