106 results about "Neurophysiology" patented technology

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.

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.

The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing dynamic pedicle integrity assessments involving the use of neurophysiology.

The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing percutaneous pedicle integrity assessments involving the use of neurophysiology.

A method and system for utilizing neurophysiologic information obtained by techniques such as quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG), electrode recordings, MRI in appropriately matching patients with therapeutic entities is disclosed. The present invention enables utilization of neurophysiologic information, notwithstanding its weak correlation with extant diagnostic schemes for mental disorders, for safer and expeditious treatment for mental disorders, discovering new applications for therapeutic entities, improved testing of candidate therapeutic entities, inferring the presence or absence of a desirable response to a treatment, and deducing the mode of action of one or more therapeutic entities. In particular, methods for effectively comparing neurophysiologic information relative to a reference set are disclosed along with database-based tools for deducing therapeutic entity actions on particular patients such that these tools are readily accessible to remote users.

Described are implantable devices and methods for treating various disorders of the pelvic floor by means of electrical stimulation of the pudendal or other nerves, and optional means for delivering drugs in association therewith. A method of precisely positioning and implanting a medical electrical lead so as to provide optimal stimulation of the pudendal nerve or a portion thereof is also described. Placement of a stimulation lead next to or on the pudendal nerve may be performed using conventional prior art techniques through gross anatomical positioning, but usually does not result in truly optimal lead placement. One method of the present invention utilizes neurophysiological monitoring to assess the evoked responses of the pudendal nerve, and thereby provide a method for determining the optimal stimulation site. Additionally, one or more electrical stimulation signals are applied, and optionally one or more drugs are infused, injected or otherwise administered, to appropriate portions of a patient's pelvic floor and pudendal nerve or portions thereof in an amount and manner effective to treat a number of disorders, including, but not limited to, urinary and / or fecal voiding dysfunctions such as constipation, incontinence disorders such as urge frequency and urinary retention disorders, sexual dysfunctions such as orgasmic and erectile dysfunction, pelvic pain, prostatitis, prostatalgia and prostatodynia.

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.

Described are implantable devices and methods for treating various disorders of the pelvic floor by means of electrical stimulation of the pudendal or other nerves, and optional means for delivering drugs in association therewith. A method of precisely positioning and implanting a medical electrical lead so as to provide optimal stimulation of the pudendal nerve or a portion thereof is also described. Placement of a stimulation lead next to or on the pudendal nerve may be performed using conventional prior art techniques through gross anatomical positioning, but usually does not result in truly optimal lead placement. One method of the present invention utilizes neurophysiological monitoring to assess the evoked responses of the pudendal nerve, and thereby provide a method for determining the optimal stimulation site. Additionally, one or more electrical stimulation signals are applied, and optionally one or more drugs are infused, injected or otherwise administered, to appropriate portions of a patient's pelvic floor and pudendal nerve or portions thereof in an amount and manner effective to treat a number of disorders, including, but not limited to, urinary and / or fecal voiding dysfunctions such as constipation, incontinence disorders such as urge frequency and urinary retention disorders, sexual dysfunctions such as orgasmic and erectile dysfunction, pelvic pain, prostatitis, prostatalgia and prostatodynia.

An intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring system includes an adaptive threshold detection circuit adapted for use in monitoring with a plurality of electrodes placed in muscles which are enervated by a selected nerve and muscles not enervated by the nerve. Nerve monitoring controller algorithms permit the rapid and reliable discrimination between non-repetitive electromyographic (EMG) events repetitive EMG events, thus allowing the surgeon to evaluate whether nerve fatigue is rendering the monitoring results less reliable and whether anesthesia is wearing off. The intraoperative monitoring system is designed as a “surgeon's monitor,” and does not require a neurophysiologist or technician to be in attendance during surgery. The advanced features of the intraoperative monitoring system will greatly assist neurophysiological research toward the general advancement of the field intraoperative EMG monitoring through post-surgical analysis. The intraoperative monitoring system is preferably modular, in order to allow for differential system pricing and upgrading as well as to allow for advances in computer technology; modularity can also aid in execution of the design.

The present invention relates generally to an algorithm aimed at neurophysiology monitoring, and more particularly to an algorithm capable of quickly finding stimulation thresholds over multiple channels of a neurophysiology monitoring system.

Methods and systems are provided for neurophysiological assessment, specifically nerve and nerve root conduction frequencies, latencies and amplitudes, with respect to surgical intervention and insult. Real-time trends in waveforms are captured, and warnings of pathological changes reported, displayed and audibilized.

An intra-modality response synthesizer analyzes and enhances central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and effector data to evaluate subject response to stimuli. A data collection mechanism obtains response data from a subject exposed to stimuli, such as marketing and entertainment stimuli. The intra-modality response synthesizer analyzes and synthesizes a plurality of modality specific response measures from central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and effector systems. For example, the intra-modality response synthesizer analyzes response data including neurophysiological data to evaluate the effectiveness of stimuli by analyzing interactions between multiple regions of the brain.

Neurophysiological instruments and techniques are improved through various enhancements. Stimulation of an instrument is possible while it is advancing into the spine or elsewhere, alerting the surgeon to the first sign the instrument or device (screw) may be too near a nerve. A directional probe helps surgeons determine the location of the hole in the pedicle. Electrically insulating sleeves prevent shunting into the soft tissues. According to a different improvement, the same probe to be used to stimulate different devices, such as screws and wires. Electrical impulses may be recorded from non-muscle regions of the body, including the spine and other portions of the central nervous system as opposed to just the extremities.

A system performs stimulus targeting using neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data. Subjects are exposed to stimulus material such as marketing and entertainment materials and data is collected using mechanisms such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding. Neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data collected is analyzed to select targeted stimulus materials. The targeted stimulus materials are provided to particular subjects for a variety of purposes.

A system performs stimulus targeting using neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data. Subjects are exposed to stimulus material such as marketing and entertainment materials and data is collected using mechanisms such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding. Neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data collected is analyzed to select targeted stimulus materials. The targeted stimulus materials are provided to particular subjects for a variety of purposes.

Systems and methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments of neural tissue including nerve pathology monitoring which may or may not be augmented by adding the ability to assess or monitor the pressure being exerted upon a nerve or nerve root before, during and / or after retraction.

A system and related methods for performing at least one of bone integrity testing and nerve detection during surgical access using both neurophysiologic testing and ultrasound testing during surgery.

A set of brain data representing a time series of neurophysiologic activity acquired by spatially distributed sensors arranged to detect neural signaling of a brain (such as by the use of magnetoencephalography) is obtained. The set of brain data is processed to obtain a dynamic brain model based on a set of statistically-independent temporal measures, such as partial cross correlations, among groupings of different time series within the set of brain data. The dynamic brain model represents interactions between neural populations of the brain occurring close in time, such as with zero lag, for example. The dynamic brain model can be analyzed to obtain the neurophysiologic assessment of the brain. Data processing techniques may be used to assess structural or neurochemical brain pathologies.

The present invention relates a system and related methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments during surgical procedures.

Methods, computer systems and apparatus are provided for neurophysiological assessment, specifically evaluation of mixed and dermatomal nerve conduction latencies and amplitudes, as well as electrophysiological evaluation of spontaneous electromyogram. Software guides the user through protocol selection, electrode placement, baseline determinations, comparisons to normal data, post-manipulation comparisons, displayed warning of pathological changes, archiving of data and report generation.

A surgical access system comprising a tissue retraction assembly equipped with two or more electrodes for use in monitoring the status of nearby neural structures, including the localized depth of neural structures relative to one or more components of the tissue retraction assembly. Additional neurological testing may be performed to monitor the health and status of the neural structures during the portions of the surgical procedure in which the tissue retraction assembly is used to maintain the operative corridor.

This invention relates to a method and a system for generating a discriminatory signal for a neurological condition, where at least one probe compound that has a neurophysiologic effect is provided. Biosignal data are obtained from a subject based on biosignal measurements obtained from biosignal measuring device adapted for placement on a subject, wherein said biosignal data are obtained posterior to the administering of said probe compound to the subject. Analogous biosignal reference data are provided for reference subjects in at least one reference group posterior to the administering of the probe compound, wherein the reference data are utilized for defining reference features having common characteristics between the reference subjects in the at least one reference group, wherein the reference data are processed for defining reference posterior probability vectors for each respective reference subject, wherein each respective posterior probability vector comprises particular feature or a feature combination elements with probability values associated to said elements, the posterior probability vectors resulting in a distribution of said features or feature combinations for said reference subjects. Subsequently, the biosignal data obtained from the subject are used for calculating analogues posterior probability vector for said subject. The discriminatory signal is then generated based on comparison between said posterior probability vector for said subject and the distribution of said features or feature combinations.

Systems and methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments of neural tissue including nerve pathology monitoring which may or may not be augmented by adding the ability to assess or monitor the pressure being exerted upon a nerve or nerve root before, during and / or after retraction.

The present invention relates generally to a system and methods used for neurophysiologic monitoring, and more particularly to an algorithm capable of discerning between background activity (non-physiologic and physiologic) and evoked neurophysiologic activity.