# US 10,869,677 B2 · Integrated intraoperative nerve monitoring system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,677 B2 - Document ID: US10869677B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/096,180 - Filed: 2017-05-03 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-03 - Assignees: Bien-Air Holding SA - Applicants: Bien-Air Holding SA - Inventors: Adrian Sallaz; Roman Amrein - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869677B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/1626: {Control means; Display units} - A61B 5/4893: {Nerves} - A61B 5/6847: {mounted on an invasive device} - A61B 17/1615: {Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material} - A61B 17/1622: {Drill handpieces (A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence)} - A61B 17/1679: {for the ear} - A61N 1/36: for stimulation - A61B 2017/00039: {Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect} - A61B 2017/00119: {alarm; indicating an abnormal situation} - A61B 2017/00132: {Setting operation time of a device (A61B2017/00123 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00154: {pulsed} - A61B 2090/08021: {of the patient or his organs} - A61B 2505/05: Surgical care - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A surgical drilling device (10) with integrated nerve monitoring capabilities comprising a bur (1) fitted with a drilling tip (12), and that is actuated in rotation by a rotating shaft (11) driven by a motor (5) wherein the rotating shaft (11) is electrically connected at a rear end (11B) thereof to a coupling device (21) of a nerve monitoring module (20) for the transmission of electrical nerve stimulation signals (S) through axial contacting. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Surgical drilling device with integrated nerve monitoring capabilities comprising a bur that is fitted with a drilling tip and is actuated in rotation by connection to a front end of a rotating shaft driven by a motor, wherein said rotating shaft is electrically connected at an opposite, rear end thereof to a coupling device of a nerve monitoring module comprising an axial contacting element for the transmission of electrical nerve stimulation signals through a concave contact surface stretching inside a radius of a face of said opposite, rear end of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical drilling device of claim 1, wherein said contact surface between the coupling device and the rotating shaft is arranged substantially symmetrically around a rotational axis of said rotating shaft and stretches inside a smaller radius as compared to said radius of said face of said rear end of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The surgical drilling device of claim 2, wherein said contacting element is a contacting pin made of metal or a carbon brush stretching substantially centrally along the rotational axis of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The surgical drilling device of claim 3, wherein said axial contacting element is a contacting pin, and wherein the rotating shaft is made of a material harder than that of said contacting pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical drilling device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating shaft is provided with a central recess at the face of the rear end thereof, into which said contacting surface is fitted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The surgical drilling device according to claim 5, wherein said central recess has a substantially tapered shape, and wherein said contacting surface is wiped by a plurality of carbon wires of a carbon brush. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical drilling device according to claim 1, wherein said coupling device comprises a linear actuator displaceable along a rotational axis of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The surgical drilling device according to claim 7, wherein said linear actuator is an electromagnetic linear actuator comprising a coil wrapped around a case cooperating with a movable magnet, wherein said magnet is integral with the contacting pin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical drilling device according to claim 8, further comprising a return spring and a plunger onto which said contacting pin is mounted, wherein said plunger is pressed by said return spring against a back cover of said case. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical drilling device according to claim 1, wherein said coupling device is modularly mounted inside a casing accommodating said motor, and is fitted at a back end of said casing under a removable cable protection cap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) System for operating a surgical drilling device according to claim 1, wherein the nerve detection module further comprises a remote control unit that is configured to send electrical pulse signals to said coupling device for generating intermittent electrical contact between said coupling device and said rotating shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system for operating a surgical device according to claim 11, wherein said remote control unit also sends electrical nerve stimulation signals, and wherein a pattern of said electrical pulse signals defines time windows allowing for the transmission of said electrical nerve stimulation signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system for operating a surgical device according to claim 11, wherein a cumulated time period of all physical contact times during a total operation time is set to less than 2% of the total operation time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system for operating a surgical device according to claim 11, wherein said coupling device is a linear actuator set to travel over a distance within a range of 0.3 mm and 2.5 mm by said electrical pulse signals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system for operating the surgical device according to claim 11, wherein said coupling device comprises a contacting pin, wherein said electrical pulse signals are set to urge said contacting pin axially against said rotating shaft with a force of a magnitude of at least 0.3 Newtons. ### Claim 16 Surgical drilling device with integrated nerve monitoring capabilities comprising a bur that is fitted with a drilling tip and is actuated in rotation by connection to a front end of a rotating shaft driven by a motor, wherein said rotating shaft is electrically connected at an opposite, rear end thereof to a coupling device of a nerve monitoring module comprising an axial contacting element for the transmission of electrical nerve stimulation signals through a contact surface stretching inside a radius of a face of said opposite, rear end of said rotating shaft, wherein said contact surface is fitted inside a central recess formed in the face of said opposite, rear end of the rotating shaft. ### Claim 17 Surgical drilling device with integrated nerve monitoring capabilities comprising a bur that is fitted with a drilling tip and is actuated in rotation by a rotating shaft driven by a motor, wherein said rotating shaft is electrically connected at a rear end thereof to a coupling device of a nerve monitoring module comprising an axial contacting element for the transmission of electrical nerve stimulation signals through a contact surface stretching inside a radius of said rear end of said rotating shaft, wherein said coupling device comprises a linear actuator displaceable along a rotational axis of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The surgical drilling device according to claim 17, wherein said linear actuator is an electromagnetic linear actuator comprising a coil wrapped around a case cooperating with a movable magnet, wherein said magnet is integral with the contacting pin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The surgical drilling device according to claim 18, further comprising a return spring and a plunger onto which said contacting pin is mounted, wherein said plunger is pressed by said return spring against a back cover of said case.