Electromyography system
First Claim
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1. A method of determining at least one of a change in nerve status and a change in nerve proximity, comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying a first stimulus signal to a stimulus electrode communicatively linked to a controller that directs application of electrical stimulus signals, said stimulus electrode being situated on a medical device and located a distance from a nerve;
(b) detecting with a sensor communicatively linked to said controller an EMG response generated by a muscle physiologically coupled to said nerve in response to said first stimulus signal;
(c) increasing said first stimulus signal and repeating steps (a) and (b) until said controller determines said detected EMG response associated with said nerve reaches a predetermined minimum EMG value representing an evoked muscle action potential;
(d) identifying the level of said first stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value;
(e) storing in a non-transitory fashion on the controller the identified level of said first stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value;
(f) repeating steps (a) through (d) with a second stimulus signal to identify the level of said second stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value associated with said nerve; and
(g) recalling on the controller the identified level of said first stimulus signal level and determining at least one of a change in nerve status and a change in nerve proximity based on a comparison of said first stimulus signal level required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value and said second stimulus signal level required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value.
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Abstract
A system and methods that can be used to monitor and detect nerve status and/or proximity by determining relative neuro-muscular response onset value thresholds for a nerve. The nerve status and/or proximity may be determined by delivering and increasing a stimulation signal to depolarize the nerve and measuring the current intensity level at which a neuro-muscular response to the depolarization of the nerve is detected.
171 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of determining at least one of a change in nerve status and a change in nerve proximity, comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a first stimulus signal to a stimulus electrode communicatively linked to a controller that directs application of electrical stimulus signals, said stimulus electrode being situated on a medical device and located a distance from a nerve; (b) detecting with a sensor communicatively linked to said controller an EMG response generated by a muscle physiologically coupled to said nerve in response to said first stimulus signal; (c) increasing said first stimulus signal and repeating steps (a) and (b) until said controller determines said detected EMG response associated with said nerve reaches a predetermined minimum EMG value representing an evoked muscle action potential; (d) identifying the level of said first stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value; (e) storing in a non-transitory fashion on the controller the identified level of said first stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value; (f) repeating steps (a) through (d) with a second stimulus signal to identify the level of said second stimulus signal required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value associated with said nerve; and (g) recalling on the controller the identified level of said first stimulus signal level and determining at least one of a change in nerve status and a change in nerve proximity based on a comparison of said first stimulus signal level required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value and said second stimulus signal level required to obtain said predetermined minimum EMG value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification