Nerve condition monitoring system and electrode supporting structure
First Claim
1. Patient nerve condition monitoring apparatus comprising:
- a pair of stimulating electrodes adapted to apply an electrical stimulating signal to a patient;
a pair of pickup electrodes adapted to receive a response electrical signal from the patient induced by a stimulating signal; and
an electrode supporting structure supporting said stimulating electrodes in a location adapted to contact a portion of said patient'"'"'s arm adjacent the median nerve and supporting said pickup electrodes in a location adapted to contact a portion of the patient'"'"'s hand adjacent the median nerve when said stimulating electrodes are in contact with the patient'"'"'s arm, so that application of an electrical stimulating signal by said stimulating electrodes to the patient'"'"'s arm induces a sensory nerve conduction signal in the patient which is propagated along a median nerve conduction path extending from a location in the patient'"'"'s arm adjacent said stimulating electrodes to a location in the patient'"'"'s hand adjacent said pickup electrodes to produce a detectable sensory nerve response electrical signal at said pickup electrodes, and the length of the nerve conduction path is substantially permanently fixed by said electrode supporting structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable system for substantially automated monitoring of nerve conduction velocity through the carpal tunnel of a patient includes an electrode supporting structure which supports stimulating and pickup electrodes in a predetermined spatial relationship so as to contact the patient'"'"'s arm and hand. The electrode supporting structure is a part of a housing which contains stimulating signal generating and response signal processing circuitry, which operates substantially automatically under control of a microprocessor. The microprocessor controls generation of stimulating pulses and determines the elapsed time until the occurrence of a predetermined response signal characteristic, such as its peak. Data relating to nerve conduction time or velocity measurements and response signal waveform are stored in a removable memory to permit later analysis and treatment recommendation by a physician. The system is useful for screening large groups of people at remote locations, such as workers at an employer'"'"'s facilities, for evaluating their median nerve condition and likelihood of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
174 Citations
54 Claims
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1. Patient nerve condition monitoring apparatus comprising:
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a pair of stimulating electrodes adapted to apply an electrical stimulating signal to a patient; a pair of pickup electrodes adapted to receive a response electrical signal from the patient induced by a stimulating signal; and an electrode supporting structure supporting said stimulating electrodes in a location adapted to contact a portion of said patient'"'"'s arm adjacent the median nerve and supporting said pickup electrodes in a location adapted to contact a portion of the patient'"'"'s hand adjacent the median nerve when said stimulating electrodes are in contact with the patient'"'"'s arm, so that application of an electrical stimulating signal by said stimulating electrodes to the patient'"'"'s arm induces a sensory nerve conduction signal in the patient which is propagated along a median nerve conduction path extending from a location in the patient'"'"'s arm adjacent said stimulating electrodes to a location in the patient'"'"'s hand adjacent said pickup electrodes to produce a detectable sensory nerve response electrical signal at said pickup electrodes, and the length of the nerve conduction path is substantially permanently fixed by said electrode supporting structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Patient nerve condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring nerve conduction through the carpal tunnel of a patient comprising:
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a pair of stimulating electrodes adapted to be coupled to a patient'"'"'s arm; a stimulating signal generator coupled to said stimulating electrodes; a pair of pickup electrodes having a permanent predetermined spatial relationship to said stimulating electrodes, said pickup electrodes being adapted to be coupled to the patient'"'"'s hand so as to receive response signals generated in response to application of a stimulating signal to the patient'"'"'s arm; and a response signal processor coupled to said pickup electrodes, said processor including means for determining the elapsed time between the application of a stimulating signal to said stimulating electrodes and the receipt of a predetermined response signal by said pickup electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (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)
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43. A method of monitoring conduction velocity of nerves passing through the carpal tunnel of a patient comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a pair of stimulating electrodes and a pair of pickup electrodes having a predetermined permanent spatial relationship to said stimulating electrodes; b. coupling said pickup electrodes to the hand of the patient and coupling said stimulating electrodes to the forearm of the patient; c. applying a stimulating electrical signal to said stimulating electrodes; and d. determining the elapsed time between the application of a stimulating signal to the stimulating electrodes and the occurrence of a predetermined characteristic of the response signal produced at said response electrodes in response to said stimulating signal. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification