Tactile testing device and methods
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient, said stimulation means comprising means for applying a constant current stimulus;
control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of stimulus administered by operation of the at least one stimulation means, such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered;
means for receiving direct patient response to the stimulus administered by the stimulation means, said means for receiving direct patient response comprising means for measuring delay between stimulus and sensation;
means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and
computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic apparatus for testing tactile responses of a patient is disclosed. The embodiments of the invention variously include components for: applying a nonambient temperature to the patient'"'"'s skin to test the patient'"'"'s response to thermal stimuli; pricking the patient'"'"'s skin to test the patient'"'"'s response to pain; indenting the patient'"'"'s skin to test the patient'"'"'s response to touch; vibrating the patient'"'"'s skin to test the patient'"'"'s response to vibration; and for making two spaced apart contacts with the patient'"'"'s skin to test the patient'"'"'s two point discrimination response. A general purpose computer and dedicated control circuits function to control the operation of the system and record the responses of the patient. The embodiments of the present invention are able to repeatedly reproduce each test so that the tests carried out are reproducible and accomplished in a minimum of time.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient, said stimulation means comprising means for applying a constant current stimulus; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of stimulus administered by operation of the at least one stimulation means, such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimulus administered by the stimulation means, said means for receiving direct patient response comprising means for measuring delay between stimulus and sensation; means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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first stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient; second stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude and time course of stimuli administered by operation of the first stimulation means and the second stimulation means, such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude and time course are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimulus administered by at least one of the stimulation means, said means for receiving direct patient response comprising means for monitoring physiological change in the patient; and computer means for recording the patient response to the first and second stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient and for generating further stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for automatically testing the tactile sensory response of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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first tactile stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient; second tactile stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude and time course of stimuli administered by operation of the first tactile stimulation means and the second tactile stimulation means such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude and time course are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimuli administered by at least one of the stimulation means; and computer means for recording the patient'"'"'s responses to said first and the second tactile stimulation means for cutaneous stimulation of the patient and for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient'"'"'s response to said stimuli. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An automatic testing apparatus comprising:
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a tactile stimulation means for applying stimuli to the patient'"'"'s skin; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of the stimuli administered by said tactile stimulation means such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimuli administered by the tactile stimulation means; means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected, wherein said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing a principal modality of cutaneous sensation, said tactile stimulation means comprises temperature means for applying a nonambient temperature to the patient'"'"'s skin, and said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing the temperature modality of cutaneous sensation. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An automatic testing apparatus comprising:
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a tactile stimulation means for applying stimuli to the patient'"'"'s skin; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of the stimuli administered by said tactile stimulation means such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimuli administered by the tactile stimulation means; means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected, wherein said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing a principal modality of cutaneous sensation, wherein said tactile stimulation means comprises pinprick means for pricking the patient'"'"'s skin, and said automatic testing apparatus incapable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing the pain modality of cutaneous sensation.
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28. An automatic testing apparatus comprising:
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a tactile stimulation means for applying stimuli to the patient'"'"'skin; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of the stimuli administered by said tactile stimulation means such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimuli administered by the tactile stimulation means; means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected, wherein said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing a principal modality of cutaneous sensation, wherein said tactile stimulation means comprises indentation means for indenting the patient'"'"'s skin, and said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing the touch modality of cutaneous sensation.
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29. An automatic testing apparatus comprising:
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a tactile stimulation means for applying stimuli to the patient'"'"'s skin; control means for accurately controlling the amplitude of the stimuli administered by said tactile stimulation means such that stimuli of precise predetermined amplitude are administered; means for receiving direct patient response to the stimuli administered by the tactile stimulation means; means for recording said patient response to the stimuli; and computer means for generating additional stimuli in response to the record of the patient response to the stimuli such that a predetermined set of data can be collected, wherein said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing a principal modality of cutaneous sensation, wherein said tactile stimulation means comprises touch discrimination means for making two spaced apart contacts with the patient'"'"'s skin, and said automatic testing apparatus is capable of automatically testing the cutaneous sensory response of a patient by automatically testing the touch modality of cutaneous sensation.
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Specification