Patent ID: 8784330

Claim:
A system for use in a medical procedure, comprising: an elongated needle element including a shaped tip advanceable into a bony structure of a patient's spine; an elongated cannula lockingly mateable with said needle element; an elongated sheath disposed about the exterior of said cannula, wherein said elongated sheath is non-compressible and slideable between a first position and a second position; and a handle configured to attach to at least one of said needle element and said cannula to allow a user to manipulate said system; wherein at least one of said needle element, said cannula, and said handle includes a contact element in communication with at least one of said shaped tip of said needle element and a distal end of said cannula, said contact element being coupleable with an electrical source to transmit an electrical stimulation current from said electrical source to at least one of said shaped tip and said distal end and into a hole formed in said bony structure.