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2026-04-13 00:00 China Papers Foundations & Methods Translated from EN

Ultra-Flexible Arrays Record 719 Single Neurons in 11 Surgical Patients

Summary A Nature Communications study tested ultra-Flexible Implantable Neural Electrode arrays during awake surgery in 16 patients. Valid single-unit recordings were obtained in 11 patients, yielding 719 isolated neurons and as many as 135 simultaneously, while five early cases failed because of operating-room noise or damaged insertion needles. The work was intraoperative and does not establish long-term implant performance.
Why it matters The study turns flexible-electrode claims into human single-neuron yield and failure data, while leaving a large gap between stable intraoperative recording and chronic implantation.
BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — A Nature Communications study used ultra-Flexible Implantable Neural Electrode arrays to record single neurons during human brain surgery. Researchers attempted recordings in 16 awake patients undergoing deep-brain stimulation lead placement or brain-tumor resection and obtained valid single-unit signals in 11 of them.

The team isolated 719 neurons from 1,302 valid channels, with a maximum of 135 neurons recorded simultaneously in one patient. The first 10 successful cases used 128-channel arrays and the final case used an upgraded 256-channel device. The flexible shanks moved with brain pulsation, and the researchers reported stable waveforms during recordings lasting as long as 36.5 minutes.

Five early cases produced no valid single-unit recordings, mainly because of operating-room electrical noise or damaged insertion-needle tips. Those failures are important for assessing clinical usability. The study tested short intraoperative recording and did not evaluate chronic tissue response, signal longevity or long-term device safety. StairMed provided electrode fabrication, hardware, software and medical support.

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