INTEGRATED NERVE STIMULATOR AND ULTRASOUND IMAGING DEVICE

摘要

An integrated ultrasound and nerve stimulation system, ultrasound probe and method are provided. The system may include a transcutaneous electrode adapted for external placement on a patient, a percutaneous electrode having an electrically-conducting tip adapted for percutaneous placement proximate a nerve in the patient and a control for causing a current to flow between the electrodes. The system may also include a probe having an ultrasound transducer that transmits ultrasound waves into the patient and receives reflected ultrasound waves from the patient. The probe also has a communication interface for transmitting a signal representative of the received reflected ultrasound waves to a main unit. The main unit is in operative communication with the communication interface and includes a display and a processor, which receives the signal from the probe and causes the display to display an image in accordance with the received signal.