Opioids abated with 'injectrode' neuromodulation technique

This is the claim of University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineers and their collaborators whose creation - dubbed the injectrode – is described in a paper published online in Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Neuromodulation therapies involve electrically stimulating nerves to reduce epileptic seizures, soothe chronic pain, and treat depression and a host of other health conditions without the use of conventional drugs like opioids.

Electrode implants elucidate whole-brain map of electrical connectivity

Under the skin: A new breed of biomedical implant

According to the team, current neuromodulation treatments rely on surgically implanted devices that can cost up to six figures, require complex procedures to install, and often fail as they are rigid devices attempting to mesh with soft biological tissue.

"Typical implants are really stiff, and so as the body moves, they wear and tear and break down,” said Kip Ludwig, a UW-Madison professor of biomedical engineering and neurological surgery.