NEUROMONITORING SYSTEM WITH WIRELESS INSTRUMENTATION
First Claim
1. A neurophysiological stimulator comprising:
- a source of electrical stimulation current;
an electrically conductive instrument; and
a medical glove made of an electrically insulated material where at least a portion of the outside surface of the glove has at least one electrically conductive open path and at least one electrical connection for connecting the said electrically conductive path to the said source of current;
whereinthe electrically conductive path transmits electrical stimulation current to the said electrically conductive instrument when contact is made between the glove and the instrument.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided that allow the surgeon and the IONM specialist to continuously get feedback on the relative proximity of instrumentation to a nerve and the health of this nerve. By using a coupling device that allows every instrument to be electrically stimulated, the surgeon, through the instruments, continuously sends a small electrical input into the patient'"'"'s body. Depending on the relative proximity between this electrical stimulation and a nerve, a neuromonitoring modality is recorded through electrodes placed on the patient. This modality is read and analyzed by the IONM specialist. The characteristics of this response allow the IONM specialist to determine the health status and or location of the nerves.
31 Citations
85 Claims
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1. A neurophysiological stimulator comprising:
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a source of electrical stimulation current; an electrically conductive instrument; and a medical glove made of an electrically insulated material where at least a portion of the outside surface of the glove has at least one electrically conductive open path and at least one electrical connection for connecting the said electrically conductive path to the said source of current;
whereinthe electrically conductive path transmits electrical stimulation current to the said electrically conductive instrument when contact is made between the glove and the instrument.
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2. An intra-operative neuromonitoring system for ensuring safety of a patient during a surgical procedure comprising:
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a source of electrical stimulation current; an electrically conductive surgical instrument; a surgical glove made of an electrically insulated material where at least a portion of the outside surface of the surgical glove has at least one electrically conductive open path and at least one electrical connection for connecting the said electrically conductive path to the said source of current;
whereinthe electrically conductive path transmits electrical stimulation current to the said electrically conductive surgical instrument when contact is made between the glove and the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of performing electrical stimulation using an intra-operative neuromonitoring system, wherein the system comprises a source of electrical stimulation current, an electrically conductive surgical instrument having an end effector, and an insulated elastic surgical glove with a cuff having at least one electrical connection for connecting to the said source of current, the outside surface of the glove having at least one electrically conductive open contact surface for transmitting current from the electrical connection to the surgical instrument, the method comprising:
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coupling the electrical stimulation current source to the electrical connection of the surgical glove; selectively connecting the glove to an electrically conductive surgical instrument by holding or touching the instrument with the glove; applying the end effector into the surgical site stimulating the nervous system of a patient; and monitoring the response of the patient to the stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A neurophysiology kit for neuromonitoring the safety of a patient during surgery comprising:
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an electrically conductive surgical instrument, having an electrically conductive handle, an insulated electrically conductive structural elongated portion and an electrically conductive end effector; and an insulated elastic surgical glove having at least one electrically conductive open contact surface for transmitting current to the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. A tactile intra-operative neuromonitoring glove comprising:
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a flexible polymeric impervious biocompatible electrically insulated glove designed to intimately fit a surgeon'"'"'s hand; a portion of the outside surface of the glove having an electrically conductive open path made of a compound comprising a resin, an electrically conductive filler and a dispersant agent; and an electrical connection on the glove for connecting the said electrically conductive path to a intra-operative neuromonitoring system. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A tactile intra-operative neuromonitoring glove comprising:
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a flexible polymeric impervious biocompatible electrically insulated glove designed to intimately fit a surgeon'"'"'s hand; a portion of the outside surface of the glove having an electrically conductive open path made of a compound comprising a resin, an electrically conductive filler and a dispersant agent, where a portion of the said electrically conductive path is covered by an electrically isolative coating leaving at least one small electrically conductive open surface and where the said electrically conductive open surface is covered by a protective non-insulating coating; and an electrical connection on the glove for connecting the said electrically conductive path to a neuromonitoring system;
whereinthe said electrically conductive open surface transmits stimulation currents generated by the neuromonitoring system through the non-insulating coating. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A tactile intra-operative neuromonitoring glove comprising:
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a polychloroprene glove designed to intimately fit a surgeon'"'"'s hand; a portion of the outside surface of the glove having an electrically conductive open path made of a solvent-based compound comprising a styrene resin, silver flakes, a dispersant agent, where a portion of the said electrically conductive path is covered by an electrically isolative water-based urethane coating leaving at least one electrically conductive open surface and where the said electrically conductive open surface is covered by a protective non-insulating water-based urethane coating; and an electrical connection on the glove for connecting the said electrically conductive path to a neuromonitoring system;
whereinthe said electrically conductive open surface transmits stimulation currents generated by the neuromonitoring system through the non-insulating coating, and the said electrically conductive path can be stretched up to 300% and still be conductive with a resistivity below 2000 Ohms after stretch and further remains conductive with a resistivity below 2000 Ohms up to 50% of stretch, and where the said electrically conductive path, electrically isolative coating and protective non-insulating coating stay bonded to the glove after a stretch up to 300%.
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Specification