Ryan Demeter, Matt Jackson, Caroline Schulman, and Matt Whitfield

NCIIA Project Proposal

Project Proposal for Non-Transcranial Electroanesthesia Device

Group 2

Project description:

Due to apprehension about the long term effects of passing electrical current across the brain, voiced by the Food and Drug Administration, an alternative method for administering electroanesthesia must be developed to bring electroanesthesia to market in the United States (Fries 2005). Electroanesthesia, in its present form, boasts many biological benefits over gas and liquid anesthesia; an alternative non-transcranial, possibly vagal nerve stimulation, method may also have these biological benefits. By utilizing the vagal nerve, a theoretical method for application of electroanesthesia may be proposed. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) offers the analgesia aspect of anesthesia according to research. Through the development and further research into VNS, full anesthesia may be developed. There are fewer side effects with electroanesthesia due to these biological benefits, and non-transcranial electroanesthesia may also boast these benefits (Sances and Larson and Larson 1975).

The main focus of the design process for this project is to develop an applicator and control device for electroanesthesia. Our device will control and administration electroanesthesiaand produce digital patient records. The device will be portable, self sustaining, and rechargeable.This requires utilizing a mini-PC to run LabView on boot, receive input (patient and other medical information) via a USB key and control electrical output parameters. The USB key will store patient information and the procedure history for patient records.

Market Potential

The market potential for a non-transcranial electroanesthesia device encompasses medical procedures where liquid and gas anesthesia are utilized for surgery below the neck. According to Aspect Medical Systems over an estimated 20 million people undergo surgery using general anesthesia each year in the United States. A non-transcranial electroanesthesia device would replace current gas and liquid anesthesia apparatuses. In less developed countries the high cost of anesthesia and lack of medical expertise make anesthesia hard to administer. An electroanesthesia device would reduce the cost of anesthesia and the need for an anesthesiologist. In developed countries were advanced anesthesia devices are used, an electroanesthesia device would reduce the dependence of gas and liquid anesthesia. There is nothing on the market in the US similar to the proposed device; there are electroanesthesia devices in Europe that utilize transcranial methods (Takakura).

Social impact:

Electroanesthesia boasts many advantages over gas and liquid anesthesia such as, a quicker recovery time and less biological effect during and after surgery (Photiades, 218-225). Patients heal better when anesthetized with electroanesthesia and are less affected by the process (Sances and Larson, 21-27). According to research done in Europe there is no harmful effect on electrocardiograms (ECG) or electroencephalograms (EEG). In mammalian testing there was a change in the EEG (Sances and Larson, 55-58) but little on ECG and little neural tissue change. Hammond et al. (1992) states that in human testing there is obvious change in scalp recording of EEG with VNS. Furthermore the extracellular and intracellular fluid of the brain showed little change in potassium and sodium concentration levels with electroanesthesia (Sances and Larson, 148-175). These electrolytes are important to the function of many systems, homeostasis, and iron regulation in the body and play a role in nerve stimulation. This electrolyte concentration stabilization differs from research data for liquid anesthesia where electrolyte levels are decreased due to changes by the chemical agents (Sances and Larson, 148-175). Electroanesthesia also yields decreased gastric acid secretion (Sances and Larson, 33-46), leading to less of a chance for stomach ulcers seen with other anesthesia.

E-team members and personal skills:

Name / Skills / Education
Ryan Thomas Demeter / LabView, AutoCAD / Biomedical Engineering
Matthew Wesley Jackson / Microsoft Office, Matlab, LabView / Biomedical Engineering
Caroline Schulman / Circuitry, NI ELVIS / Biomedical and Electrical Engineering
Matthew James Whitfield / Matlab, Microsoft Office, Visual Basic / Biomedical Engineering

Advisor:

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Fax: / 615-936-6493

Proposed timeline/ goals

Month / Description
November 2005 / Look into previous research done on VNS and Electroanesthesia. Develop schematics and possible device physical designs. Start design development.
December 2005 / Proceed with research and finalize our design approach. Assemble basic design components. Develop software and user interface. Obtain IRB approval to test our device as early as possible.
January 2006 / Begin designing prototype model and testing.
February 2006 / Proceed with prototype design and testing.
March 2006 / Run experiments if approved and make modifications where necessary. Continue work-up and finalize design.
April 2006 / Continue to finalize design and prepare paper and presentation poster.

Resources:

Lab space provided by VanderbiltUniversity

Prototype Budget:

  • Mini PC ($1,065.37)
  • Purpose: data processing, software execution, and component control and interface.
  • EZgo E7043 Junior
    - Color Silver
    - Processor Intel Celeron 2.4 GHz, 400MHz FSB
    - Memory 512MB DDR SODIMM
    - Hard Drive 20GB Notebook Hard Drive
    - Optical Drive 24X Slim CD-ROM Drive
    - Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Pro W/SP2
    - Keyboard & Mouse Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
    - Wireless USB 2.0 Wireless Adapter (external)
    - Monitor (none)
    - Extended Warranty Included - 1 Year Warranty, Parts & Labor
  • Cables and relevant hardware ($2265)
  • Connection cables ($75)
  • USB hub and cables
  • DAQ cable connector
  • Box and mountings ($150)
  • Case (Dimensions: TBD)
  • Foam Mounting
  • Hardware Mounting
  • DAQ controller ($1300)
  • National Instruments or Comparable
  • USB key ($100)
  • CD Cyclone 256 MB Flash Key USB Pen Drive Storage Device
  • Rechargeable Battery ($200)
  • External Power Hook-up ($100)
  • Canon BJC-80 Portable Printer ($150)
  • X2Gen 15” Monitor ($190)
  • Experimentation ($135)
  • Device Testing
  • Electroanesthesia testing
  • Miscellaneous ($150)
  • Unforeseen costs
  • Minor Expenses

Total Cost / $3615.37

Device Testing

Phase I

-Device components connected and tested to assure compatibility

-Software integrated and tested to assure compatibility and proper operation

-Test inputs and outputs of device

Phase II

-Applicator testing to assure proper outputs and operation

Phase III

-Testing of device operation with a rat

References:

"Anethesia PAteint Information". Aspect Medical Systems. Accessed 11/14/05. <

Fries, Richard. E-mail interview. 5 2005.

Hammond , EJ, BM Uthman, SA Reid, and BJ Wilder. "Electrophysiological studies of

cervical vagus nerve stimulation in humans: I. EEG effects.." Epilepsia. 33 (1992):

1013-1020

Photiades, Dimitri P., Janus Garwacki, K.C. Whittaker, and Andeas S.

Lambis. "Electroaneasthesia in Major Surgery ." The West African

Medical Journal (October 1963): 218-225.

Sances Jr., Anthony, and Sanford J. Larson. Electroanesthesia

Biomedical and Biophysical Studies. New York: Academic Press,

Inc., 1975.

Takakura, Kintomo. “Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Relieving

Pain: Physiological significance of the 1/f frequency fluctuation.” Accessed 11/4/05

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