System and method for facial nerve monitoring
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for monitoring the activity of a surgeon during a particular facial surgery procedure, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of wireless sensing units positioned at a plurality of points on the face of a patient being operated on, said points being positioned proximate to selected facial nerves, said selected facial nerves being at risk in said particular surgery, and said points being further positioned with respect to said nerves at risk, to be coupled to said nerves at risk, said wireless sensing units producing an output indicative of nerve stimulation and the magnitude of such stimulation;
(b) a wireless receiver capable of receiving the output of said wireless sensing units and producing at its output a plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units;
(c) an analyzer unit for receiving said plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units from said wireless receiver and comparing said plurality of signals to corresponding threshold values, said analyzer unit producing an alarm actuation output indicative of the existence of onset nerve reactions indicating the onset of nerve injury; and
(d) an indicator responsive to said alarm actuation output of said analyzer unit to produce an alarm signal.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the invention apparatus is provided for monitoring the activity of a surgeon. The apparatus comprises a plurality of wireless sensing units for producing an output indicative of nerve stimulation. A receiver takes the output of the receiver units and produces at its output a plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of the plurality of wireless sensing units. An analyzer unit receives the plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of the plurality of wireless sensing units from the receiver. An indicator responds to the output of the analyzer unit.
31 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for monitoring the activity of a surgeon during a particular facial surgery procedure, comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of wireless sensing units positioned at a plurality of points on the face of a patient being operated on, said points being positioned proximate to selected facial nerves, said selected facial nerves being at risk in said particular surgery, and said points being further positioned with respect to said nerves at risk, to be coupled to said nerves at risk, said wireless sensing units producing an output indicative of nerve stimulation and the magnitude of such stimulation; (b) a wireless receiver capable of receiving the output of said wireless sensing units and producing at its output a plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units; (c) an analyzer unit for receiving said plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units from said wireless receiver and comparing said plurality of signals to corresponding threshold values, said analyzer unit producing an alarm actuation output indicative of the existence of onset nerve reactions indicating the onset of nerve injury; and (d) an indicator responsive to said alarm actuation output of said analyzer unit to produce an alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25)
-
-
20. A method for monitoring the activity of a surgeon performing a particular facial surgery procedure, comprising:
-
(a) placing a plurality of wireless sensing units on the face of a facial surgery patient being operated, said sensing units being placed on at a plurality of points on the face of said patient to generate a plurality of signals, said points being positioned proximate to selected facial nerves, said selected facial nerves being at risk in said particular surgery, and said points being further positioned with respect to said nerves at risk, to be coupled to said nerves at risk; (b) producing an output indicative of nerve stimulation and the magnitude of such stimulation; (c) wirelessly transmitting said output indicative of nerve stimulation and the magnitude of such stimulation; (d) receiving the wirelessly transmitted output indicative of nerve stimulation and the magnitude of such stimulation at a receiver having a receiver output; (e) monitoring the output of said receiver; (f) analyzing said receiver output corresponding to the output of said plurality of wireless sensing units and comparing said plurality of signals to corresponding threshold values, said analyzer unit producing an alarm actuation output indicative of the existence of onset nerve reactions indicating the onset of nerve injury; (g) generating an alarm signal in response to the detection of said onset nerve reactions indicating the onset of nerve injury. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
-
26. Apparatus for monitoring the activity of a surgeon, comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of wireless sensing units for producing an output indicative of nerve stimulation; (b) a receiver capable of receiving the output of said wireless sensing units and producing at its output a plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units; (c) an analyzer unit for receiving said plurality of signals each corresponding to the output of one of said plurality of wireless sensing units from said receiver; (d) an indicator responsive to the output of said analyzer unit, wherein said receiver is coupled to an antenna contained within a headrest cushion supporting the head of a patient being operated on.
-
Specification