Patent ID: 7079883
Filing Date: 2006-07-18
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of performing spine surgery comprising: providing a nerve surveillance instrument dimensioned to be minimally invasively advanced to a spinal target site and slideably received within a cannula, wherein at least one of said nerve surveillance instrument and said cannula is equipped with at least one nerve stimulation electrode disposed proximate a distal end thereof, and wherein said cannula has an inner lumen dimensioned to pass an implant therethrough for introduction into said spinal target site; minimally invasively advancing said nerve surveillance instrument and said cannula towards said spinal target site while energizing said at least one nerve stimulation electrode in an amount sufficient to depolarize nerves adjacent at least one of said instrument and said cannula such that said nerves may be detected and avoided without effecting tissue ablation or cauterization; removing said nerve surveillance instrument from said inner lumen after said cannula has been advanced to said spinal target site to thereby enable a surgeon to introduce said implant into said spinal target site; and introducing an implant into said spinal target site.