System and Method for Determining Proximity Relative to a Nerve
First Claim
1. A system for determining proximity of a surgical device relative to nerve structure, comprising:
- at least one surgical device having a sensor assembly operably coupled to a processing unit and configured to transmit at least one electrical signal generated by the processing unit through nerve structure to elicit a measurable response there from,the processing unit configured to calculate a signature property value of the nerve structure based on the measurable response and determine proximity of the at least one surgical device relative to the nerve structure based on a comparison between the signature property value and at least one other signature property.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for determining proximity of a surgical device relative to nerve structure includes at least one surgical device having a sensor assembly operably coupled to a processing unit and configured to transmit at least one electrical signal generated by the processing unit through nerve structure to elicit a measurable response there from. The processing unit is configured to calculate a signature property value of nerve structure based on the measurable response and to determine proximity of the nerve structure to the surgical device based on the measurable response. The processing unit is further configured to test the nerve function after completing the surgical procedure.
73 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for determining proximity of a surgical device relative to nerve structure, comprising:
-
at least one surgical device having a sensor assembly operably coupled to a processing unit and configured to transmit at least one electrical signal generated by the processing unit through nerve structure to elicit a measurable response there from, the processing unit configured to calculate a signature property value of the nerve structure based on the measurable response and determine proximity of the at least one surgical device relative to the nerve structure based on a comparison between the signature property value and at least one other signature property. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for determining proximity of a surgical device relative to nerve structure, the method comprising:
-
placing at least one surgical device having a sensor assembly disposed thereon relative to a target anatomical structure; transmitting at least one electrical signal from the sensor assembly to elicit a measurable response from nerve structure; calculating one or more signature properties of nerve structure based on the measureable response; comparing values of the one or more measured signature properties to at least one other measured signature property; and determining proximity of the at least one surgical device relative to nerve structure based on the comparison between the one or more measured signature properties and at least one other measured signature property. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for determining proximity of nerve structure during an electrosurgical procedure, the method comprising:
-
placing at least one surgical device having a sensor assembly disposed thereon relative to a target anatomical structure; transmitting at least one electrical signal from the sensor assembly to elicit a measurable response from nerve structure; calculating a signature property of nerve structure based on the measureable response; determining proximity of the surgical device to nerve structure based on the measurable response; and in response to determining proximity of the surgical device is not too close to nerve structure, selectively applying energy to the target anatomical structure to perform the electrosurgical procedure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification