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Active electrode, bio-impedance based, tissue discrimination system and methods of use

  • US 7,865,236 B2
  • Filed: 10/19/2005
  • Issued: 01/04/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of discriminating a location of nerve tissue within a subject, comprising:

  • placing a waveform electrode array on skin of the subject, wherein each electrode in the waveform electrode array has an area of no more than approximately 10 mm2;

    placing a return electrode on skin of the subject at a position on the skin removed from the waveform electrode array at a linear inter-electrode separation distance that falls within a tail region of an impedance v. distance curve for the subject;

    applying a signal serially to each of the electrodes in the waveform electrode array and the return electrode;

    measuring a change in a characteristic of the signal resulting from transmission through tissue between each electrode in the waveform array and the return electrode; and

    discriminating a location of nerve tissue located beneath the waveform electrode array by processing the measured change in the characteristics of the signal to identify anisotropic features in underlying tissue.

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