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Publication Number
US-8517954-B2
Publication Date
2013-08-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A neural monitoring system for detecting an induced response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area of a human subject includes a mechanical sensor configured to be placed in mechanical communication with the muscle and to generate a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a sensed mechanical movement of the muscle, and a receiver in communication with the mechanical sensor. The receiver is configured to: receive the mechanomyography output signal from the mechanical sensor; compute a time derivative of an acceleration of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal; compare the computed time derivative of acceleration to a jerk threshold; and indicate that the sensed mechanical movement of the muscle was induced by the provided intracorporeal stimulus if the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
Core Innovation
A neural monitoring system detects an induced response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area of a human subject, where the intracorporeal treatment area includes a nerve that innervates the muscle. The system includes a mechanical sensor configured to generate a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to sensed mechanical movement of the muscle, and a receiver that receives the mechanomyography output signal from the mechanical sensor.
The receiver computes a time derivative of an acceleration of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal and compares the computed time derivative of acceleration to a jerk threshold. The receiver indicates that the sensed mechanical movement of the muscle was induced by the provided intracorporeal stimulus if the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
In variations, the receiver determines a magnitude of acceleration of the muscle and a magnitude of the provided intracorporeal stimulus, and uses these magnitudes to determine a proximity between the stimulator and the nerve. The receiver compares the determined proximity to a proximity threshold and provides an alert if the determined proximity is less than the proximity threshold and the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides three independent claims that share a common decision logic based on mechanomyography-derived jerk exceeding a jerk threshold to indicate an induced muscle response, with additional inventive features relating to receiver architecture, stimulus delivery within the intracorporeal treatment area, and proximity-threshold-based alerting actions.
Jerk-threshold induced response detection from mechanomyography
A neural monitoring system for detecting an induced response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area including a nerve that innervates the muscle, comprising a mechanical sensor generating a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a sensed mechanical movement of the muscle, and a receiver that receives the mechanomyography output signal, computes a time derivative of an acceleration of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal, compares the computed time derivative of acceleration to a jerk threshold, and indicates that the sensed mechanical movement of the muscle was induced by the provided intracorporeal stimulus if the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
Jerk-threshold induced response detection method with intracorporeal stimulus
A method of detecting an induced response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area including a nerve that innervates the muscle, comprising receiving a mechanomyography output signal from a mechanical sensor in mechanical communication with the muscle, computing a time derivative of an acceleration of the muscle from the mechanomyography output signal, comparing the computed time derivative of acceleration to a jerk threshold, and indicating that the sensed mechanical movement of the muscle was induced by the provided intracorporeal stimulus if the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
Proximity-threshold alerting tied to jerk-threshold exceedance
A neural monitoring system for detecting an induced response of a muscle to a stimulus provided within an intracorporeal treatment area including a nerve that innervates the muscle, comprising a mechanical sensor generating a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to sensed mechanical movement of the muscle, and a receiver that receives the mechanomyography output signal, determines a magnitude of acceleration of the muscle, determines a magnitude of the provided intracorporeal stimulus, computes a time derivative of an acceleration of the muscle, compares the computed time derivative of acceleration to a jerk threshold, determines a proximity between the stimulator and the nerve from the magnitude of the provided intracorporeal stimulus and the magnitude of acceleration of the muscle, compares the determined proximity to a proximity threshold, and provides an alert if the determined proximity is less than the proximity threshold and the computed time derivative of acceleration exceeds the jerk threshold.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive approach is detecting whether a muscle’s sensed mechanical movement is induced by an intracorporeal stimulus by computing a time derivative of acceleration from mechanomyography and comparing it to a jerk threshold. Additional inventive coverage includes actions that depend on stimulator-to-nerve proximity determined from stimulus magnitude and acceleration magnitude, including providing an alert.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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