Patent ID: 7981144

Claim:
An implant suitable for neurophysiological monitoring of a target site, said implant comprising: a body member having a proximal and distal end, said distal end of said body member being threaded, wherein said distal end is constructed and arranged to secure to a target site, said distal end of said body member including an electrically non-conductive coating on substantially the entire external surface of said distal end, an electrically conductive region penetrating through said electrically non-conductive coating, said electrically conductive region positioned on said external surface of said distal end off-center of a longitudinal axis of the body member, said body member being electrically conductive and providing an electrically conductive pathway extending between said proximal end and said electrically conductive region, said electrically conductive region constructed and arranged to emit an electrical potential in an amount effective to generate a stimulating electrical signal in a proximally located neural structure; wherein said stimulating electrical signal indicates the proximity of said neural structure relative to said distal end such that said neural structure may be avoided at said target site; wherein said at least one electrically conductive region of said implant is in electrical communication with a nerve stimulation monitoring device for providing said electrical potential and controlling the amount of said electrical potential.