METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING AN OPERABLE STIMULUS INTENSITY FOR NERVE CONDUCTION TESTING
First Claim
1. A method of determining an operable stimulus intensity for nerve conduction testing, comprising:
- repeatedly stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve at an increasing stimulus intensity;
detecting a response potential in response to each stimulation of the body portion;
determining a plurality of averaged responses based on the detected response potentials, each averaged response being an average of a set of at least two consecutive response potentials, each set of response potentials having at least one response potential not in another set;
determining at least two parameters of each averaged response;
determining that a maximal stimulus intensity has been reached when the respective at least two parameters of at least two averaged responses are within a predetermined range; and
determining the operable stimulus intensity as a predetermined proportion of the maximal stimulus intensity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The described embodiments relate generally to methods, systems and apparatus for automatic nerve stimulation and for determining an operable stimulus intensity for nerve conduction testing. The method of determining an operable stimulus intensity for nerve conduction testing comprises: repeatedly stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve at an increasing stimulus intensity; detecting a response potential in response to each stimulation of the body portion; determining a plurality of averaged responses based on the detected response potentials, each averaged response being an average of a set of at least two consecutive response potentials, each set of response potentials having at least one response potential not in another set; determining at least two parameters of each averaged response; determining that a maximal stimulus intensity has been reached when the respective at least two parameters of at least two averaged responses are within a predetermined percentage range; and determining the operable stimulus intensity as a predetermined proportion of the maximal stimulus intensity.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of determining an operable stimulus intensity for nerve conduction testing, comprising:
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repeatedly stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve at an increasing stimulus intensity;
detecting a response potential in response to each stimulation of the body portion;
determining a plurality of averaged responses based on the detected response potentials, each averaged response being an average of a set of at least two consecutive response potentials, each set of response potentials having at least one response potential not in another set;
determining at least two parameters of each averaged response;
determining that a maximal stimulus intensity has been reached when the respective at least two parameters of at least two averaged responses are within a predetermined range; and
determining the operable stimulus intensity as a predetermined proportion of the maximal stimulus intensity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of automatic nerve stimulus, comprising:
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a) determining a stimulus intensity at which to provide a stimulus to a body portion adjacent a nerve;
b) stimulating the body portion with the stimulus at the stimulus intensity;
c) detecting a response potential of the body portion in response to the stimulus;
d) reducing the stimulus intensity by a first predetermined amount and repeating steps b) and c);
e) verifying that the reduced stimulus intensity corresponds to detecting a reduced response potential in response to the reduced stimulus intensity;
f) increasing the stimulus intensity by a second predetermined amount larger than the first predetermined amount and repeating steps b) and c); and
g) repeating steps d), e), and f until the detected response potential is determined to be a maximal response potential. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. Computer readable storage storing computer program instructions which, when executed by a computerized testing apparatus, cause the computerized testing apparatus to perform the method of:
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repeatedly stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve at an increasing stimulus intensity;
detecting a response potential in response to each stimulation of the body portion;
determining a plurality of averaged responses based on the detected response potentials, each averaged response being an average of a set of at least two consecutive response potentials, each set of response potentials having at least one response potential not in another set;
determining at least two parameters of each averaged response;
determining that a maximal stimulus intensity has been reached when the respective at least two parameters of at least two averaged responses are within a predetermined range; and
determining the operable stimulus intensity as a predetermined proportion of the maximal stimulus intensity. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A system for determining an operable stimulus intensity for nerve conduction testing, comprising:
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a stimulator for stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve and detecting a response to stimulation of the body portion;
a control module for controlling the stimulator; and
memory storing program instructions and accessible by the control module, wherein, when the program instructions are executed by the control module, the control module and stimulator are caused to;
repeatedly stimulate the body portion at an increasing stimulus intensity;
detect a response potential in response to each stimulation of the body portion;
determine a plurality of averaged responses based on the detected response potentials, each averaged response being an average of a set of at least two consecutive response potentials, each set of response potentials having at least one response potential not in another set;
determine at least two parameters of each averaged response;
determine that a maximal stimulus intensity has been reached when the respective at least two parameters of at least two averaged responses are within a predetermined range; and
determine the operable stimulus intensity as a predetermined proportion of the maximal stimulus intensity. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for automatic nerve stimulus, comprising:
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a stimulator for stimulating a body portion adjacent a nerve and detecting a response to stimulation of the body part;
a control module for controlling the stimulator; and
memory storing program instructions and accessible by the control module, wherein, when the program instructions are executed by the control module, the control module and stimulator are caused to;
a) determine a stimulus intensity at which to provide a stimulus to the body portion;
b) stimulate the body portion with the stimulus at the stimulus intensity;
c) detect a response potential of the body portion in response to the stimulus;
d) reduce the stimulus intensity by a first predetermined amount and repeat steps b) and c);
e) verify that the reduced stimulus intensity corresponds to detecting a reduced response potential in response to the reduced stimulus intensity;
f) increase the stimulus intensity by a second predetermined amount larger than the first predetermined amount and repeat steps b) and c); and
g) repeat steps d), e), and f until the detected response potential is determined to be a maximal response potential. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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Specification