Neural event detection
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Wybo, Aashish Shah, Tarik Yardibi, Emir Osmanagic, Darren Scarfe
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Abstract
A neural monitoring system for detecting an artificially-induced mechanical muscle response to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area includes a mechanical sensor, a stimulator, and a processor. The processor is configured to provide a periodic stimulus via the stimulator, and monitor the output from the mechanical sensor in an expected response window that follows one stimulus, yet concludes before the application of the next, subsequent stimulus to determine if the stimulus induced a response of the muscle.
Claims20
A neural monitoring system for detecting an artificially-induced mechanical response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area of a human subject, the intracorporeal treatment area including a nerve that innervates the muscle, the neural monitoring system comprising:
- a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to be placed in mechanical communication with the muscle and to generate a mechanomyography output signal that corresponds to a sensed mechanical movement of the muscle;
- a stimulator configured to provide a periodic stimulus within the intracorporeal treatment area, the periodic stimulus including at least a first stimulus beginning at a first time (T1), and a second, consecutive stimulus beginning at a second time (T2);
- and
- a processor in communication with the mechanical sensor and the stimulator, the processor configured to:
- provide the periodic stimulus to the stimulator;
- receive the mechanomyography output signal from the mechanical sensor;
- analyze a response window of the mechanomyography output signal to determine if the first stimulus induced a response of the muscle;
- and
- provide an indication to a user if it is determined that the first stimulus induced a response of the muscle within the response window;
- wherein the response window corresponds to a period of time when an induced response to the first stimulus is likely to occur;
- and
- wherein the response window extends between a third time (T3) and a fourth time (T4) such that T1≤T3<T4<T2.
A method of detecting an artificially-induced mechanical response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area of a human subject, the intracorporeal treatment area including a nerve that innervates the muscle, the method comprising:
- transmitting a periodic electrical stimulus to a stimulator within the intracorporeal treatment area, the periodic stimulus including at least a first stimulus beginning at a first time (T1), and a second, consecutive stimulus beginning at a second time (T2);
- receiving a mechanomyography output signal from a non-invasive mechanical sensor in mechanical communication with the muscle, wherein the mechanomyography output signal corresponds to a sensed mechanical movement of the muscle;
- analyzing the mechanomyography output signal within a response window of time to determine if the sensed motion is representative of an artificially-induced response of the muscle, wherein the response window corresponds to a period when an induced response of the muscle to the first stimulus is likely to occur, the response window extending between a third time (T3) and a fourth time (T4) such that T1≤T3<T4<T2;
- and
- providing an indication to a user that the sensed motion is an artificially-induced muscle response only if the motion occurs within the response window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.