Cutaneous testing device for determining nervous system function
First Claim
1. A testing module comprising:
- a patient cutaneous testing apparatus for performing a cutaneous test;
a hemispherical dome having an exterior and an interior, said dome configured such that said testing apparatus can substantially reside within the interior of said dome and such that a part of a patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested can rest over the exterior of the dome during a cutaneous testing procedure, allowing the patient to maintain a relatively relaxed posture during the testing procedure; and
means for rotating said dome,wherein said testing apparatus is positioned during operation to administer a predetermined patient stimulus at or beyond the exterior of said dome, and wherein said testing apparatus is capable of being accurately and reproducibly positioned with respect to the part of the patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic apparatus for testing cutaneous 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
22 Claims
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1. A testing module comprising:
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a patient cutaneous testing apparatus for performing a cutaneous test; a hemispherical dome having an exterior and an interior, said dome configured such that said testing apparatus can substantially reside within the interior of said dome and such that a part of a patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested can rest over the exterior of the dome during a cutaneous testing procedure, allowing the patient to maintain a relatively relaxed posture during the testing procedure; and means for rotating said dome, wherein said testing apparatus is positioned during operation to administer a predetermined patient stimulus at or beyond the exterior of said dome, and wherein said testing apparatus is capable of being accurately and reproducibly positioned with respect to the part of the patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A testing module comprising:
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a patient cutaneous testing apparatus including a probe for performing a cutaneous test; a hemispherical dome having an interior and an exterior, said testing apparatus being capable of substantially residing within said interior of said dome, said dome configured such that a part of a patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested can rest over the exterior of the dome during a cutaneous testing procedure; means for accurately and reproducibly positioning the part of the patient'"'"'s anatomy to be tested with respect to said probe, said means comprising rotation means for rotating said dome and positioning means for accurately positioning said dome during operation of said rotation means, wherein said probe is positioned such that when in operation it administers a predetermined patient stimulus at or beyond the exterior of said dome. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification