ABSTRACT
A key component for the clinical applicability of neuroprostheses is the neural electrode, intended to bidirectionally exchange information with the nervous system, thus allowing recording of nerve signals and stimulation of nerves and muscles over extended periods of time. A prerequisite for the application of nerve electrodes is that the implant must be biocompatible. Biocompatibility can be defined as “the ability of a material to perform an appropriate host response in a specific application”. The electrode has to be resistant to corrosion during stimulation and to the attack of biological fluids, enzymes, and macrophages produced during the initial foreign body reaction. It must be composed of inert materials, both passively and when subjected to electrical stimulation, since deterioration of the device may result in implant failure and the release of toxic products. Transverse semithin sections of the nerve distal to the insertion site showed a normal fascicular organization.
