Nerve proximity and status detection system and method
First Claim
1. A method of intraoperatively determining nerve health to assess success of a surgical procedure comprising the steps of:
- (a) intraoperatively applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve;
(b) intraoperatively measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal;
(c) intraoperatively comparing successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and
(d) intraoperatively determining the nerve health based on the comparisons of the successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system is disclosed for detecting proximity of a nerve to a proximity electrode and status of nerve. The method of detecting the proximity of the nerve to the proximity electrode applies a first electrical signal with multiple current levels to a calibration electrode. The method applies a second electrical signal with multiple current levels to the proximity electrode. Based on the response of the nerve to the first and second electrical signals, the method determines the proximity of the proximity electrode to the nerve. The method determines the status of the nerve by applying the first electrical signal with multiple signal levels to the calibration electrode.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of intraoperatively determining nerve health to assess success of a surgical procedure comprising the steps of:
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(a) intraoperatively applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) intraoperatively measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; (c) intraoperatively comparing successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (d) intraoperatively determining the nerve health based on the comparisons of the successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of determining nerve status comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (c) determining the nerve status based on the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal, including the sub-steps of (i) mapping the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for a fixed latency; and
(ii) determining the nerve status based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for the fixed latency, wherein the fixed latency is a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture for use in intraoperatively determining nerve health to assess the success of a surgical procedure, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:
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(a) intraoperatively applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) intraoperatively measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; (c) intraoperatively successively comparing the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (d) intraoperatively determining the nerve health based on the comparisons of the successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An article of manufacture for use in determining nerve status, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:
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(a) applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (c) determining the nerve status based on the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal, including the sub-steps of (i) mapping the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for a fixed latency; and
(ii) determining the nerve status based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for the fixed latency, wherein the fixed latency is a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the applied electrical signal.
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23. An apparatus for intraoperatively determining nerve health to assess success of a surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for intraoperatively applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) means for intraoperatively measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; (c) means for intraoperatively comparing successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (d) means for intraoperatively determining the nerve health based on the comparisons of the successive responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for determining nerve status, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for applying an electrical signal to a conductive element located near the nerve; (b) means for measuring the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal; and (c) means for determining the nerve status based on the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal, including (i) means for mapping the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for a fixed latency, (ii) means for determining the nerve status based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the applied electrical signal for the fixed latency, and (iii) means for determining the fixed latency as a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method of determining proximity of a nerve to a second conductive element comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a first electrical signal to a first conductive element located near the nerve; (b) measuring the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal; (c) applying a second electrical signal to the second conductive element; (d) measuring the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal; and (e) determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal and the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal, including the sub-steps of;
(i) mapping the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for a first fixed latency;
(ii) mapping of the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for a second fixed latency;
(iii) determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for the first fixed latency and the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for the second fixed latency; and
(iv) determining the first fixed latency as a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. An article of manufacture for use in determining proximity of a nerve to a second conductive element, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:
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(a) applying a first electrical signal to a first conductive element located near the nerve; (b) measuring the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal; (c) applying a second electrical signal to the second conductive element; (d) measuring the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal; and (e) determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal and the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal, including the sub-steps of;
(i) mapping the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for a first fixed latency;
(ii) mapping the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for a second fixed latency;
(iii) determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for the first fixed latency and the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for the second fixed latency; and
(iv) determining the first fixed latency as a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for determining proximity of a nerve to a second conductive element, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for applying a first electrical signal to a first conductive element located near the nerve; (b) means for measuring the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal; (c) means for applying a second electrical signal to the second conductive element; (d) means for measuring the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal; and (e) means for determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal and the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal, including;
(i) means for mapping the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for a first fixed latency;
(ii) means for mapping the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for a second fixed latency;
(iii) means for determining the nerve proximity to the second conductive element based on the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal for the first fixed latency and the mapping of the responses of the nerve to the second applied electrical signal for the second fixed latency; and
(iv) means for determining the first fixed latency as a function of peaks in each response of the nerve to the first applied electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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Specification