TITLE: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Implant
AUTHORS: Alexandra Nelson

[DESCRIPTION]
This protocols describing the steps for making implants used for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in rodents.

[STEPS]
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
1. Gather
Ruler
Wire [A-M Systems #791000,.003’ bare, .0055 coated, half hard, 100ft roll] (red top box, located on shelf above electronics bench)
Small scissors
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
2. For each electrode, take 3 wires of 13cm. 
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
2.1. To cut wires into 13cm, use scissors. If the tip of the wire is bent, cut it as well to ensure the wire is straight. Make many wires (~18)
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
2.2. Take bundle of 3 and run fingers down fiber to remove dust
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
2.3. Line up tips on one end and hold with fingers, then fold the wires in half bringing the ends to touch and align into a tight bunch of 6 termini 
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
2.4. Pinch with a bulldog clip (green clip in Image 1) attached to a long rod (grey rod with yellow adhesive in Image 1) on the long axis and reinforce with a larger clip (Black clip in Image 1)

  

SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
3. Hang on the pole upside down, putting the loop around the pole. The loop should hang 2 cm back from the end of the pole
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
4. Twist counterclockwise until the wires are twisted/joined ½ cm from top. Untwist slightly rotating clockwise, then twist again to ½ cm.
SECTION: Twisting Wires Together
5. Use a heat gun to heat the bundled portion of the wire, slowly and smoothly working up and down for 1 min. Let cool for 30 s before removing (Heat gun 800℉, 4 fan bars)
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
9. Check for shorts with multimeter

SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
6. Cut top of loop with scissors to form 6 endings
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
7. Use razor blade to carefully scrape insulation off the wires from the end to the top of the twist
  

SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
8. Separate into 2 sets of 3
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
9.1. If there is a short… attack from both ends
Try trimming the bottom of the twisted wires in case short is occurring down there
If short still exists, pull apart your wires that have been stripped even further. If that fixes the problem, remove insulation down to that point again. 
Retest for shorts.
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10. Fitting the wires into the millmax
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10.1. To make the millmax a “6-pin” connector, you need to cut the longer strip of female millmax. Use wire cutters to cut. Cut on the 4th pin over and save those pins (in case you lose one or damage the pins when cutting)
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10.2. Use a hemostat to remove gold pins from millmax. Can also take a needle and push on the bottom of the millmax to push the pin up for better grip. Then pull out using a hemostat. I find it's best to go as vertical, or in a straight line out, as possible, minimizing side-to-side fudging. 
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10.3. Cut the skinnier portion off of each gold pin using a wirecutter. Keep the thicker side for pressure fitting (see below).  

SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10.4. Once all 6 pins are removed, feed wires into the millmax
First put in one vertical side of 3, then put in the 3 on the other side
   
Then fold the wires that you threaded through all to one side forming a “pony-tail” ensuring that these wires do not touch each other or tangle during pressure fitting
  
Pressure fit these endings into the millmax by inserting the cut pin into each hole.
Using scissors, cut each of the 6 endings right down the base of the pin.
SECTION: Fitting into 6-pin connector
10.5. Trim the bundled end of wires to your desired length. Do this at an angle so that you get wires ending at varied DV levels when you insert the electrodes.
For STN DBS we trim the insertable portion to 6-6.5mm