Patent ID: 8958869
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A system for detecting a defect in a pedicle wall within the spine of a patient, said patient having a spinal nerve lying adjacent to the pedicle, said system comprising: a stimulator configured to generate an electrical stimulus to be applied to said pedicle bone; a plurality of sensors each connected to a sensor input channel on a monitor, each sensor configured to couple to a different muscle myotome and sense muscle activity from the coupled muscle myotome, the monitor configured to detect from each of the plurality of sensors if the electrical stimulus applied to the pedicle results in a threshold neuro-muscular response from the coupled myotome, the threshold neuro-muscular response having muscle activity greater than a predetermined magnitude; a processor controlled adjuster configured to automatically adjust by constant increments the magnitude of the electrical stimulus generated by said stimulator until said monitor detects said threshold neuro-muscular response from at least one of said plurality of sensors; and a communicator configured to display, in response to said monitor detecting said threshold neuro-mucular response, the magnitude of the electrical stimulus which caused said threshold neuro-muscular response.