Biomimetic microtexturing for neurosurgical probe surfaces to influence tribological characteristics during tissue penetration

For the development of a novel type of neurosurgical probes, surface texturing and various microstructure geometries were fabricated and investigated as to their tribological properties during penetration of a probe into brain tissue. The surface texture and the penetration mechanism under investigation were inspired by the ovipositor of the wood-boring wasp Sirex noctilio. Fabrication techniques for microelectronic mechanical systems (MEMS) were employed to engineer this novel biomimetic neurosurgical probe using SU-8 photoresist, Si, and silicone dispersion. Fin- and tooth-like high-aspect-ratio (HAR) side wall microstructures were produced for the surface texture and subsequently integrated into a needle-type probe made by microstereolithography (MSTL). The assembled needle probe with the SU-8 microstructures was used to determine the different bidirectional resistance force during a probe insertion and extraction into soft tissue (including cadaveric animal brain). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.