Methods and apparatus for cortical stimulation mapping during surgical procedures

An apparatus for intraoperative tissue stimulation, comprising:

• an access port having a hollow cylindrical body configured to receive at least one tool, a distal end configured to insert into a tissue, and a proximal end configured to substantially remain at a surface of the tissue;
• and
• at least one pair of electrical terminals coupled with the access port and configured to stimulate the tissue, wherein the at least one pair of electrical terminals is arranged as one of:
• a diametrically opposing arrangement, each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals configured to switch polarity between a positive polarity and a negative polarity;
• and
• an adjacent arrangement, each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals comprising an anode and a cathode, and each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals diametrically opposing another pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals.

A method of intraoperatively stimulating tissue by way of an apparatus, comprising:

• providing the apparatus, comprising:
• providing an access port having a hollow cylindrical body configured to receive at least one tool, a distal end configured to insert into a tissue, and a proximal end configured to substantially remain at a surface of the tissue;
• and
• providing at least one pair of electrical terminals coupled with the access port and configured to stimulate the tissue, wherein providing the at least one pair of electrical terminals comprises arranging the at least one pair of electrical terminals as one of:
• a diametrically opposing arrangement, each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals configured to switch polarity between a positive polarity and a negative polarity;
• and
• an adjacent arrangement, each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals comprising an anode and a cathode, and each pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals diametrically opposing another pair of electrical terminals of the at least one pair of electrical terminals;
• inserting the access port into the tissue;
• and
• applying an electrical potential to the tissue by activating the apparatus.