# US 10,441,344 B2 · Surgical apparatus comprising a nerve testing device

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- Number: US 10,441,344 B2
- Document ID: US10441344B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/936,948
- Filed: 2009-04-07
- Published: 2011-02-10
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-10
- Assignees: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH
- Applicants: Juergen Notz; Juergen Beller
- Inventors: Juergen Notz; Juergen Beller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441344B2

## CPC

- A61B 18/1206: {Generators therefor}
- A61B 5/4893: {Nerves}
- A61B 2018/00434: {Neural system}
- A61B 2018/00732: {Frequency}
- A61B 2018/00916: {with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device}
- A61B 2018/1266: {with DC current output}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical apparatus for facilitating testing nerves during HF surgery. The surgical apparatus comprises a converter for converting a high-frequency treatment current into a nerve stimulating current. A controllable selector switch optionally feeds either the treatment current or the nerve stimulating current to the electrosurgical instrument.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical apparatus for facilitating testing nerves during high-frequency surgery, comprising:
a high-frequency generator for generating a high-frequency treatment current,
a converter for converting the high-frequency treatment current into a nerve stimulating current;
connecting lines for feeding the high-frequency treatment current from the high-frequency generator to the converter; and
a controllable selector switch for selectively feeding one of the high-frequency treatment current and the nerve stimulating current to a high-frequency electrosurgical instrument,
wherein the converter comprises a rectifier circuit for generating a direct current as the nerve stimulating current.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the converter comprises a pulse modulation unit for generating a temporally defined pulse or temporally defined pulse sequence of the nerve stimulating current.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the converter comprises a constant current source for generating the nerve stimulating current, wherein the nerve stimulating current is constant.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The surgical apparatus of claim 3, wherein the constant current source is adjustable to predetermined current strengths.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the converter comprises at least one driver device adapted to control output current parameters and voltage parameters of the high-frequency treatment current.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the converter is arranged in a special housing or housing insert and configured such that said converter can be connected to the high-frequency electrosurgical instrument via a plug connection.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The surgical apparatus of claim 5, wherein the driver device is capable of adjusting the output current parameters and the voltage parameters of the high-frequency treatment current to match defined nerve stimulating current parameters.