Electromyography system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of determining structural integrity of a bone within the spine of a patient using a neurophysiology system, the bone having a first aspect and a second aspect, said second aspect separated from said first aspect by a width and located adjacent to a spinal nerve, said method comprising:
- applying an electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone;
electrically monitoring a plurality of leg muscle myotome locations via a plurality of electromyographic (EMG) sensor electrodes coupled to the leg muscle myotome locations, at least one of the leg muscle myotome locations being associated with said spinal nerve;
detecting an onset neuro-muscular response having an amplitude greater than a predetermined positive value in response to the application of said electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone by automatically increasing said electrical stimulus in constant increments until said onset neuro-muscular response is detected by one or more of the EMG sensor electrodes, wherein said automatic increasing is controlled by said neurophysiology system; and
displaying on an integrated display device of said neurophysiology system while viewed by a surgeon operating on the patient'"'"'s spine an onset electrical stimulus current level which causes said onset neuro-muscular response.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electromyography system and related method for performing automated screw test procedures, involving automatically determining an onset neuro-muscular response to the application of an electrical stimulus to a portion of pediculur bone and communicating to a user an onset electrical stimulus level which causes the onset neuro-muscular response.
308 Citations
56 Claims
-
1. A method of determining structural integrity of a bone within the spine of a patient using a neurophysiology system, the bone having a first aspect and a second aspect, said second aspect separated from said first aspect by a width and located adjacent to a spinal nerve, said method comprising:
-
applying an electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone; electrically monitoring a plurality of leg muscle myotome locations via a plurality of electromyographic (EMG) sensor electrodes coupled to the leg muscle myotome locations, at least one of the leg muscle myotome locations being associated with said spinal nerve; detecting an onset neuro-muscular response having an amplitude greater than a predetermined positive value in response to the application of said electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone by automatically increasing said electrical stimulus in constant increments until said onset neuro-muscular response is detected by one or more of the EMG sensor electrodes, wherein said automatic increasing is controlled by said neurophysiology system; and displaying on an integrated display device of said neurophysiology system while viewed by a surgeon operating on the patient'"'"'s spine an onset electrical stimulus current level which causes said onset neuro-muscular response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of determining structural integrity of a bone within the spine of a patient using a neurophysiology system, the bone having a first aspect and a second aspect, said second aspect separated from said first aspect by a width and located adjacent to a spinal nerve, said method comprising:
-
applying an electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone; electrically monitoring a plurality of leg muscle myotome locations via a plurality of electromyographic (EMG) sensor electrodes coupled to the leg muscle myotome locations, at least one of the leg muscle myotome locations being associated with said spinal nerve; determining an onset neuro-muscular response to the application of said electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone by automatically increasing said electrical stimulus in constant increments until said onset neuro-muscular response is detected by one or more of the EMG sensor electrodes outputting an EMG signal having an amplitude value greater than a predetermined positive value, wherein said automatic increasing is controlled by said neurophysiology system; and displaying on a display device of said neurophysiology system that is viewable by a surgeon operating on the patient'"'"'s spine an onset electrical stimulus current level which causes said onset neuro-muscular response, wherein displaying the onset electrical stimulus current level on the display device includes visually displaying to said surgeon, in response to determining said onset neuro-muscular response, an electrical current value representing said onset electrical stimulus current level causing said onset neuro-muscular response for said spinal nerve. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method of determining structural integrity of a bone within the spine of a patient using a neurophysiology system, the bone having a first aspect and a second aspect, said second aspect separated from said first aspect by a width and located adjacent to a spinal nerve, said method comprising:
-
applying an electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone; electrically monitoring a plurality of leg muscle myotome locations via a plurality of electromyographic (EMG) sensor electrodes coupled to the leg muscle myotome locations, at least one of the leg muscle myotome locations being associated with said spinal nerve; determining an onset neuro-muscular response to the application of said electrical stimulus to said first aspect of said bone by automatically increasing said electrical stimulus in constant increments until said onset neuro-muscular response is detected by one or more of the EMG sensor electrodes outputting an EMG signal having an amplitude value greater than a predetermined positive value, wherein said amplitude value greater than the predetermined positive value comprises a peak-to-peak amplitude value greater than the predetermined positive value, wherein said automatic increasing is controlled by said neurophysiology system; and in response to determining said onset neuro-muscular response, displaying on a display device of said neurophysiology system that is viewable by a surgeon operating on the patient'"'"'s spine an onset electrical stimulus current level which causes said onset neuro-muscular response. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
Specification