Stimulator handpiece for an evoked potential monitoring system

• US 20060025702A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Xomed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Berry, Bret M., Hacker, David C., Sterrantino, Peter P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,342,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/554
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]

Abstract

An evoked potential monitoring system including a control unit having stimulator circuitry and a probe assembly coupled to the control unit. The probe assembly includes a stimulus probe and a stimulator handpiece selectively coupled to the stimulus probe. The handpiece includes a handle, control circuitry, and a switch. The control circuitry is electrically coupled to the stimulator circuitry. The switch is electrically coupled to the control circuitry and extends to an exterior portion of the handle. In this regard, movement of the switch remotely controls the stimulator circuitry to continuously increment or decrement a stimulation energy level delivered to the stimulus probe over a series of discrete, incremental steps.

Claims

1. An evoked potential monitoring system comprising:

a control unit including stimulator circuitry; and

a probe assembly electrically coupled to the control unit, the probe assembly

including;

a stimulus probe, and

a stimulator handpiece selectively maintaining the stimulus probe,

the handpiece including;

a handle defining an enclosed region,

control circuitry disposed within the enclosed region and electrically connected to the stimulator circuitry,

a switch electrically coupled to the control circuitry and extending to an exterior portion of the handle;

wherein the system is adapted such that movement of the switch remotely prompts the stimulator circuitry to continuously vary a stimulation energy level delivered to the stimulus probe.

2. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the stimulus probe is a nerve probe.

3. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the probe assembly is a monopolar probe assembly.

4. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the probe assembly is a bipolar probe assembly.

5. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to record a patient'"'"'s response to stimulation energy delivered by the stimulus probe.

6. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted such that movement of the switch continuously varies the stimulation energy level delivered to the stimulus probe over a series of discrete, sequential steps.

7. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the system is adapted such that the switch can be operated to select any of the discrete, incremental stimulation energy level steps available through the control unit.

8. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the system is adapted to increment or decrement the stimulation energy level delivered to the stimulus probe in a non-linear fashion in response to movement of the switch.

9. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the system is adapted to automatically increase or decrease the stimulation energy level delivered to the stimulus probe in a sequential fashion in response to movement of the switch.

10. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted such that movement of the switch increments the stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe.

11. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted such that movement of the switch decrements the stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe.

12. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the stimulus probe is operable in a stimulating state and a non-stimulating state, and further wherein the system is adapted such that depressing and holding the switch ceases delivery of stimulation energy to the stimulus probe.

13. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary device connected to the control unit, and further wherein the system is adapted such that depressing the switch causes the control unit to prompt operation of the auxiliary device.

14. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the stimulator handpiece further comprises cabling extending from the handle and configured to couple to the control unit.

15. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the cabling is a dual cable defining an energy supply cable and a control cable, the control circuitry electrically coupled to the control cable, and further wherein both the energy supply cable and the control cable are electrically coupled to the control unit.

16. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch includes:

an actuator;

a post extending from the actuator; and

a pad coupled to the post.

17. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch is configured to pitch longitudinally and roll laterally.

18. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a pivoting rocker arm extending from the enclosed region to an exterior portion of the handle.

19. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a finger wheel mounted within the enclosed region and extending to an exterior portion of the handle.

20. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch has four degrees of freedom.

21. The evoked potential monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the switch has more than four degrees of freedom.

23. The stimulator handpiece of claim 18, wherein the switch includes:

an actuator;

a post extending from the actuator; and

a pad coupled to the post.

24. The stimulator handpiece of claim 19, wherein the post is moveable relative to the actuator.

25. The stimulator handpiece of claim 20, wherein the actuator is adapted to generate differing signals depending upon a position of the post relative to the actuator.

26. The stimulator handpiece of claim 18, wherein the switch is configured to pitch longitudinally and roll laterally.

27. The stimulator handpiece of claim 18, wherein the handpiece is characterized by a single switch.

22. A stimulator handpiece for use with an evoked potential monitoring system, the handpiece comprising:

a handle defining an enclosed region;

a probe connector disposed within the enclosed region and configured to selectively receive a stimulus probe;

control circuitry disposed within the enclosed region and configured to electrically communicate with a control unit; and

a switch electrically coupled to the control circuitry and extending to an exterior portion of the handle, the switch having at least three degrees of freedom;

wherein movement of the switch remotely varies an electrical signal deliverable to the control unit.

28. A method of remotely controlling a stimulus level of an evoked potential system stimulus probe, the method comprising:

providing a probe assembly including a stimulus probe removably coupled to a stimulator handpiece, the stimulator handpiece including;

a handle defining an enclosed region,

control circuitry disposed within the enclosed region and electrically coupled to stimulator circuitry disposed in a remote control unit,

a switch electrically coupled to the control circuitry and extending to an exterior portion of the handle;

contacting the stimulus probe with an anatomical body part;

moving the switch to vary a stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe; and

electronically recording a physiological response of the patent to the delivered stimulation energy.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein moving the switch includes triggering the control circuitry to communicate with stimulator circuitry.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein moving the switch prompts a continuous change in the stimulation energy delivered by the stimulus probe over a series of discrete, incremental steps.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising holding the switch in a first position to continuously increase the stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe over a series of discrete, incremental steps.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising holding the switch in a first position to continuously decreased the stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe over a series of discrete, incremental steps.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising toggling the switch to achieve a desired stimulation energy level delivered by the stimulus probe.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the stimulus probe contacts a muscle.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the stimulus probe contacts a nerve.