System and methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments
AssigneeNuVasive, Inc.
InventorsNorbert F. Kaula, James Gharib, Allen Farquhar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments, including the use of neurophysiology-based monitoring to: (a) determine nerve proximity and nerve direction to surgical instruments employed in accessing a surgical target site; (b) assess the pathology (health or status) of a nerve or nerve root before, during, or after a surgical procedure; and/or (c) assess pedicle integrity before, during or after pedicle screw placement, all in an automated, easy to use, and easy to interpret fashion so as to provide a surgeon-driven system.
Claims25
A system for performing surgical procedures and assessments, comprising:
- a surgical accessory having at least one stimulation electrode;
- and
- a processing system having at least one of computer programming software, firmware and hardware pre-programmed to incorporate at least two pre-selected threshold ranges, and capable of stimulating said at least one stimulation electrode on a surgical accessory with an electrical stimulation signal, measuring the response of nerves depolarized by said stimulation signal, automatically determining a stimulation threshold of said nerves by automatically adjusting said stimulation signal by variable increments, and communicating to a user which range of said at least two pre-selected ranges that said stimulation threshold lies to indicate at least one of nerve proximity, and pedicle integrity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.