DETECTION OF REVERSIBLE NERVE INJURY

摘要

A system for monitoring relative nerve health and the presence of neuropraxia is described. The system utilizes the integration of a waveform function of an elicited or monitored nerve response to provide an indication of the strength of a detected signal from a nerve and thus the relative health and integrity of the nerve. In some embodiments motor nerve stimulation innervates muscle and an EMG waveform is obtained in response thereto. The integration under the waveform is expressed and an indexed value indicating a percentage of a certain threshold value. Methods set forth provide a more reliable status of a nerve in real-time and allow action to be taken to reduce neuropraxia or prevent permanent nerve damage.

主权项

1. A monitoring device for detecting neuropraxia in a continuously or intermittently stimulated target nerve, said device configured to monitor an electrical response of the stimulated nerve and determine an integration value representing an integration of the area under a wave form function generated by said stimulation, wherein
a. threshold value representative of nerve responses at or above which nerve function is fully recoverable is stored in said monitoring device, b. said monitoring device configured for comparison of said integration value to said threshold value.