Bi-level charge pulse apparatus to facilitate nerve location during peripheral nerve block procedures
First Claim
1. A self-contained electrolocation apparatus comprising:
- an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough;
a non-conductive tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said tube mounted over said needle cannula so that said distal end of said non-conductive tube is proximal to said distal end of said needle cannula;
a conductive layer having a distal end on said non-conductive tube, whereby said needle cannula and said conductive layer respectively define first and second conductors coaxially spaced from one another by said non-conductive tube;
a grip fixedly attached to said needle cannula for manipulating said apparatus; and
an electrical stimulus generator circuit within said grip and electrically connected to said first conductor and said second conductor, said stimulus generator being capable of applying a potential across said conductors so that when said needle is positioned in a patient'"'"'s tissue and said electrical stimulus generator circuit is activated, said potential is sufficient to induce a preselected current thereby providing a charge pulse between said distal end of said conductive layer and said distal end of said needle cannula through the patient'"'"'s tissue, said charge pulse being sufficient to induce a twitch response in the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-contained electrolocation apparatus of the present invention includes an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough. The invention further includes a non-conductive tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the tube being mounted over the needle cannula so that the distal end of the non-conductive tube is proximal to the distal end of the needle cannula. The non-conductive tube has a conductive layer thereon, whereby the needle cannula and the conductive layer respectively define first and second conductors coaxially spaced from one another by the non-conductive tube. There is a grip fixedly attached to the needle cannula for manipulating the apparatus. The grip has an electrical stimulus generator circuit within it that is electrically connected to the first conductor and the second conductor. The stimulus generator circuit is capable of applying a potential across the conductors so that when the needle is positioned in a patient'"'"'s tissue and the electrical stimulus generator circuit is activated, the potential is sufficient to induce a preselected current thereby providing a charge pulse between the distal end of the conductive layer and the distal end of said needle cannula through the patient'"'"'s tissue. The charge pulse is sufficient to induce a twitch response in the patient.
280 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A self-contained electrolocation apparatus comprising:
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an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough;
a non-conductive tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said tube mounted over said needle cannula so that said distal end of said non-conductive tube is proximal to said distal end of said needle cannula;
a conductive layer having a distal end on said non-conductive tube, whereby said needle cannula and said conductive layer respectively define first and second conductors coaxially spaced from one another by said non-conductive tube;
a grip fixedly attached to said needle cannula for manipulating said apparatus; and
an electrical stimulus generator circuit within said grip and electrically connected to said first conductor and said second conductor, said stimulus generator being capable of applying a potential across said conductors so that when said needle is positioned in a patient'"'"'s tissue and said electrical stimulus generator circuit is activated, said potential is sufficient to induce a preselected current thereby providing a charge pulse between said distal end of said conductive layer and said distal end of said needle cannula through the patient'"'"'s tissue, said charge pulse being sufficient to induce a twitch response in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A self-contained electrolocation apparatus comprising:
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an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough;
a non-conductive tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said tube mounted over said electroconductive needle so that said distal end of said non-conductive tube is proximal to said distal end of said needle cannula;
a conductive layer on said non-conductive tube whereby said needle cannula and said conductive layer respectively define first and second conductors coaxially spaced from one another by said non-conductive tube;
a grip fixedly attached to said needle cannula for manipulating said apparatus; and
an electrical stimulus generator circuit including a battery within said grip and electrically connected to said first conductor and said second conductor, said stimulus generator circuit including an input device accessible by a practitioner'"'"'s finger pressure to select an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes of said stimulus generator circuit, said stimulus generator being capable of applying a potential across said conductors sufficient to generate charge pulses, said circuit further including indications visible and audible to a practitioner of said preselected charge pulses, so that when said needle is positioned in a patient'"'"'s tissue the practitioner can initiate and terminate one of said patterns of charge pulses and is informed of the status of said generator circuit, and wherein said charge pulses are sufficient to induce preselected constant currents between said distal end of said conductive layer and said distal end of said conductive needle through the patient'"'"'s tissue, said currents being sufficient to induce a twitch response in the patient.
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28. An electrolocation apparatus comprising:
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an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough; and
an electrical stimulus generator circuit electrically connected to the needle for generating charge pulses of electrical energy alternating between high and low charge pulses, wherein the alternating charge pulses are generated by varying the time duration of the pulses. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. An electrolocation apparatus comprising:
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an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough; and
an electrical stimulus generator circuit electrically connected to the needle for generating charge pulses of electrical energy alternating between high and low charge pulses, wherein the alternating change pulses are generated by varying the current level of the charge pulses. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of locating a nerve comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrically conducting needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough;
inserting the needle into a patient and towards the nerve; and
alternatively generating charge pulses of electrical energy alternating between high and low charge pulses for stimulating the nerve and generating muscle twitches. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification