Following the Surface of the Dorsal Root Ganglion

Abstract

The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is an interesting target for neurosurgical pain treatments since it contains the somata of sensory neurons and is relatively accessible, just outside of the central nervous system. Current interventions, such as radiofrequency ablation or neurostimulation, target the DRG with rigid instruments, only tangenting the structure. The goal of this project was to increase the area of influence for neurosurgical instruments by expanding the contact area between the instrument and the DRG. A mechanical solution was designed, consisting of a pre-bend nitinol leaf spring and a rigid injection needle as delivery device. Multiple prototypes were made with various pre-bend diameters and tip shapes. The prototypes with a backbend at the tip and a pre-bend diameter of 5-6 mm were the most successful in curving around a phantom of the L5 DRG in an experimental setup. Future research is needed to incorporate treatment modalities such as neurostimulation and radiofrequency ablation into the mechanical design.