Method and appartaus for use in nerve conduction studies

• US 20040254494A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hera, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hera, LLC
• Inventors: Spokoyny, Eleonora S.
• Application Number:
  US10/460,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254494A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4041 Evaluating nerves condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4047 afferent nerves, i.e. nerves that relay impulses to the central nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance

Abstract

A method and apparatus for improving the accuracy of nerve conduction studies, while simultaneously decreasing the time and skill required to undertake such studies. This improvement is accomplished by an “inching” template of the present invention which facilitates the exact location of electrodes for a series of EMG readings which must be taken along the nerve being studied to determine whether or not impingement of such nerve exists and, if so, where such impingement occurs.

Claims

1. A neurological testing template for assistance in diagnosing focal peripheral neuropathy disorders when using the “

inching technique”

to position an anode and cathode assembly, to obtain a spaced array of conduction velocity readings for use in the localization of nerve entrapment, comprising;

an elongated flexible, generally non-conductive, body member adapted to be in constant relationship to an extremity, having nerves being examined, in a manner that the axis of elongation of said body member extends generally in the direction of elongation of such extremity and of the selected nerve being examined;

said body member having a series of longitudinally spaced transversely extending openings therethrough which are cooperative with such anode and cathode assembly such that, during an inching procedure, the cathode and anode of such assembly are in conductive contact with the skin of such extremity through a longitudinally spaced pair of said openings and are selectively moved longitudinally along said body member and positioned to be in conductive contact with such skin through other pairs of said openings to obtain conductive readings along such selected nerve being examined.

2. A neurological testing template as specified in claim 1 wherein such constant relationship is by means of releasably securing said body member to such an extremity.

3. A neurological testing template as specified in claim 2 wherein said body member has a generally non-irritating mildly adhesive coating on at least a portion of the side thereof intended to be adjacent the skin of such extremity and said coating provides such releasable securing of said testing template to adjacent skin.

4. A neurological testing template as specified in claim 2 wherein said side thereof has said coating on substantially the entire surface thereof.

5. A neurological testing template as specified in claim 1 wherein the anode and cathode of such assembly are in fixed relationship with respect to each other, and the spacing between longitudinally spaced adjacent pairs of said openings are a whole number fraction of such fixed relationship.

6. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 5 wherein such whole number fraction is in the range of one fourth to one half.

7. A neurological testing template as specified in claim 6 wherein said whole number fraction is one half.

8. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 5 wherein at least some of such openings are transversely extending arcuate openings, with the arcuate ends thereof being equidistant from said longitudinal axis of said body member.

9. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 8 wherein the radius of the arcuate centerline of said arcuate openings is equal to the center to center distance between said anode and cathode.

10. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 8 wherein said body member contains indicia thereon indicative of the accumulated spacing between said openings.

11. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 1 wherein said body member is formed of a generally non-conductive elastomeric material.

12. A neurological testing template as is specified in claim 1 wherein said body member is formed of a generally non-conductive paper like material.

13. In a method for neurological testing in diagnosing focal peripheral neuropathy disorders when using the inching technique by moving an anode and cathode assembly to obtain a series of readings along the nerve being examined, for conveyance to an EMG machine to determine localization of nerve entrapment, such anode and cathode being spaced a fixed distance D from one another, the improvement comprising:

providing an elongated flexible template with a plurality of equally longitudinally spaced openings extending transversely therethrough;

releasably positioning such a template on a patient in a manner to extend generally longitudinally along the nerve being examined;

positioning such anode and cathode assembly within a first pairs of such openings which are spaced “

D”

apart;

repositioning such anode and cathode assembly within other pairs of such openings which are spaced “

D”

apart;

obtaining electrical indications at each of such positioning and repositioning indicative of conduction velocity of the nerve being examined.