MINIMALLY INVASIVE NERVE MONITORING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20090105788A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Innovative Surgical Solutions, LLC (Johnson & Johnson), Surgical Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Surgical Solutions, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wybo, Christopher, Bartol, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/040,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20090105788A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/1104 induced by stimuli or drugs; A61B5/1102 takes precedence; investigating medicinal preparations G01N33/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

A device includes a mechanical sensor configured to monitor at least one muscle for a response to a stimulus, and an indicator configured to provide feedback to a user based on at least a portion of an output of the mechanical sensor.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a mechanical sensor configured to monitor at least one muscle for a response to a stimulus; and

an indicator configured to provide feedback to a user based on at least a portion of an output of the mechanical sensor.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is provided within a treatment area, the treatment area including at least one nerve, the nerve innervating the at least one muscle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical sensor includes at least one accelerometer configured to detect muscle motion in response to a stimulus.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the mechanical sensor is configured to be placed proximate the at least one muscle prior to a medical procedure.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the mechanical sensor includes an adhesive face.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the mechanical sensor is electrically isolated from the muscle.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stimulator configured to provide a stimulus within a treatment area.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the stimulator is configured to provide an electrical stimulus.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the stimulator is incorporated into a medical device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanical sensor is MRI-compatible.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator indicates at least whether a portion of the output of the mechanical sensor is within a predetermined range of values.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the feedback is a binary output indicating whether the output of the mechanical sensor is, or is not, above a predetermined value.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a filter configured to block a portion of the mechanical sensor output that is indicative of movement by something other than the muscle.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving an input from at least one mechanical sensor;

the at least one mechanical sensor configured to monitor at least one muscle for a response to a stimulus; and

providing a signal to a user, the signal indicative of at least a portion of the input received from the at least one mechanical sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the stimulus is an electrical signal provided to a nerve, the nerve innervating the at least one muscle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the stimulus is a mechanical signal provided to a nerve, the nerve innervating the at least one muscle.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein providing a signal to a user includes providing a signal indicating whether a medical device is proximate a nerve.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the mechanical sensor includes at least one accelerometer configured to detect muscle motion in response to the stimulus.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning a mechanical sensor proximate at least a first muscle.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising inserting at least a portion of a stimulator within a treatment area, the stimulator configured to selectively provide a stimulus to at least one nerve when the stimulator is positioned proximate the at least one nerve.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising filtering the received input.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein filtering the received input includes passing only a portion of the received input indicating a response to the received stimulus.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the signal includes a signal indicating when a stimulator is proximate the at least one nerve.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the signal to a user includes a signal indicating whether it is safe to continue with a medical procedure.

25. A system comprising:

a stimulator configured to be positioned within a treatment area, the treatment area positioned within a body and proximate at least one nerve;

a mechanical sensor configured to be placed proximate at least one muscle, the at least one muscle innervated by the at least one nerve;

the mechanical sensor further configured to monitor the at least one muscle for a response to a stimulus; and

a receiver configured to receive an output from the mechanical sensor, to filter the received output from the mechanical sensor to pass only information indicative of a response to the received stimulus; and

to provide an indicator to a user in at least near real time, the indicator indicating whether the at least one muscle is responding to the stimulus.