Nerve mapping system
First Claim
1. A nerve mapping system comprising:
- an elongate medical device having a cylindrical shape and configured to explore an intracorporeal treatment area of a subject, wherein the elongate medical device includes;
a distal end portion tapering to a tip;
a central axis intersecting the tip and extending through a center of the elongate medical device;
a first electrode disposed in a first location at the tip and on the central axis; and
at least one second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and radially offset from the central axis in a second location;
a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a monitored mechanical response of a muscle innervated by the nerve; and
a processor in communication with the first electrode, the at least one second electrode, and the non-invasive mechanical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to;
while the elongate medical device explores the intracorporeal treatment area, receive an indication of the first location of and the second location within the intracorporeal treatment area;
provide an electrical stimulus to the first electrode and the at least one second electrode such that the electrical stimulus may be transmitted to intracorporeal tissue at the first location and the second location;
receive an indication of a magnitude of the monitored mechanical response of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal, wherein the monitored mechanical response of the muscle is induced by the electrical stimulus;
determine a distance to a nerve from the first location and the second location using a) a magnitude of the electrical stimulus and b) the monitored mechanical response of the muscle to the electrical stimulus without using an electromyography signal corresponding to an electrical potential of the muscle and skin of the subject; and
construct a virtual three-dimensional model of the nerve using the determined distance to the nerve at the first location and the second location to thereby precisely guide the elongate medical device within the intracorporeal treatment area without contacting the nerve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nerve mapping system includes a plurality of electrodes, a sensor, and a processor in communication with each of the plurality of electrodes and the sensor. Each electrode is disposed on the distal end portion of one or more elongate medical devices configured to extend within an intracorporeal treatment area of a subject. The sensor is in communication with a muscle of a subject, and is configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a monitored response of the muscle. The processor receives an indication of the location of each electrode and an indication of a magnitude of the monitored muscular response. Using these parameters, the processor determines a distance to the nerve from the location of each of the plurality of electrodes, and constructs a virtual model of the nerve using the determined distance to the nerve at each of the plurality of locations.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A nerve mapping system comprising:
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an elongate medical device having a cylindrical shape and configured to explore an intracorporeal treatment area of a subject, wherein the elongate medical device includes; a distal end portion tapering to a tip; a central axis intersecting the tip and extending through a center of the elongate medical device; a first electrode disposed in a first location at the tip and on the central axis; and at least one second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and radially offset from the central axis in a second location; a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a monitored mechanical response of a muscle innervated by the nerve; and a processor in communication with the first electrode, the at least one second electrode, and the non-invasive mechanical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to; while the elongate medical device explores the intracorporeal treatment area, receive an indication of the first location of and the second location within the intracorporeal treatment area; provide an electrical stimulus to the first electrode and the at least one second electrode such that the electrical stimulus may be transmitted to intracorporeal tissue at the first location and the second location; receive an indication of a magnitude of the monitored mechanical response of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal, wherein the monitored mechanical response of the muscle is induced by the electrical stimulus; determine a distance to a nerve from the first location and the second location using a) a magnitude of the electrical stimulus and b) the monitored mechanical response of the muscle to the electrical stimulus without using an electromyography signal corresponding to an electrical potential of the muscle and skin of the subject; and construct a virtual three-dimensional model of the nerve using the determined distance to the nerve at the first location and the second location to thereby precisely guide the elongate medical device within the intracorporeal treatment area without contacting the nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A nerve mapping system comprising:
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an elongate medical device having a cylindrical shape and configured to explore an intracorporeal treatment area of a subject, wherein the elongate medical device includes; a distal end portion tapering to a tip; a central axis intersecting the tip and extending through a center of the elongate medical device; a first electrode disposed in a first location at the tip and on the central axis; and at least one second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and radially offset from the central axis in a second location; a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a monitored mechanical response of a muscle innervated by a nerve disposed within the intracorporeal treatment area; and a processor in communication with the first electrode, the at least one second electrode, and the non-invasive mechanical sensor, wherein the processor is configured to; while the elongate medical device explores the intracorporeal treatment area, provide an electrical stimulus to the first electrode and the at least one second electrode such that the electrical stimulus may be transmitted to intracorporeal tissue at the first location and the second location within the intracorporeal treatment area, wherein the electrical stimulus has a current magnitude; receive the mechanomyography output signal from the non-invasive mechanical sensor, wherein the mechanomyography output signal provides an indication of the monitored mechanical response of the muscle to the electrical stimulus at the first location and the second location; and construct a virtual three-dimensional model of the intracorporeal treatment area from a) the current magnitude of the electrical stimulus at the first location and the second location and from b) the mechanomyography output signal without using an electromyography signal corresponding to an electrical potential of the muscle and skin of the subject to thereby precisely guide the elongate medical device within the intracorporeal treatment area without contacting the nerve, wherein the virtual three-dimensional model includes; a first portion that is representative of the nerve; and a second portion that is representative of a space within the intracorporeal treatment area that does not contain the nerve. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification