System and methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments with pressure monitoring
First Claim
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1. A system for assessing a pathology of a nerve, comprising:
- a nerve retractor having a nerve contacting portion with a plurality of pressure sensors and at least one stimulation electrode situated on said nerve contacting portion, said at least one stimulation electrode configured to deliver an electrical stimulation signal to a nerve within a patient;
at least one sensor configured to detect neuromuscular responses evoked by said stimulation signal; and
a processing unit communicatively linked to said pressure sensors and said at least one stimulation electrode and configured to calculate the pressure exerted by said nerve retractor on at least two locations along an outer surface of a nerve;
said processing unit further including a display, wherein said display provides pressure mapping data in at least two dimensions based on said calculated pressure exerted on said at least two locations along said outer surface of said nerve.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments of neural tissue including nerve pathology monitoring which may or may not be augmented by adding the ability to assess or monitor the pressure being exerted upon a nerve or nerve root before, during and/or after retraction.
255 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for assessing a pathology of a nerve, comprising:
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a nerve retractor having a nerve contacting portion with a plurality of pressure sensors and at least one stimulation electrode situated on said nerve contacting portion, said at least one stimulation electrode configured to deliver an electrical stimulation signal to a nerve within a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect neuromuscular responses evoked by said stimulation signal; and a processing unit communicatively linked to said pressure sensors and said at least one stimulation electrode and configured to calculate the pressure exerted by said nerve retractor on at least two locations along an outer surface of a nerve; said processing unit further including a display, wherein said display provides pressure mapping data in at least two dimensions based on said calculated pressure exerted on said at least two locations along said outer surface of said nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for retracting nerves during surgery, comprising:
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a nerve retractor having a distal portion including a nerve engagement surface, the nerve engagement surface having a plurality of pressure sensors situated thereon and a stimulation electrode; a processing unit linked to said pressure sensors and operable to determine an amount of pressure exerted on a nerve at at least two locations along said outer surface of said nerve when said nerve is engaged with said nerve engagement surface;
said processing unit further including a display that provides pressure mapping data in at least two dimensions based on said calculated pressure exerted on said at least two locations along said outer surface of said nerve,said processing unit is further linked to said stimulation electrode and operable to a) direct a stimulation signal through said stimulation electrode and b) determine a relationship between said stimulation signal and a neuromuscular response elicited in response to said stimulation signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification