Patent ID: 6692444
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of assessing physiological function of a peripheral nervous system at a body site of a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:(a) applying low amplitude electrical stimuli to a skin surface proximate to the body site to stimulate a nerve that traverses said body site and thereby generates an impulse that is conducted by said nerve; (b) detecting a myoelectric potential proximate to said body site, whereby said myoelectric potential is generated by a muscle in said body site in response to said impulse, said muscle being in communication with said nerve and said impulse being conducted to said muscle after propagation of said impulse through a spinal cord of said mammal; (c) processing said stimuli and said myoelectric potential; and (d) correlating results of said processing to a physiological function of a peripheral nervous system of said mammal.