Patent ID: 7942826

Claim:
A system for use in a medical procedure, comprising: an access needle, including: an elongated needle element having a shaped tip advanceable into a bony structure of a patient's spine; an elongated cannula lockingly mateable with said needle element and having a lumen to slidably receive said needle element therethrough such that said shaped tip of said needle element extends distally beyond a distal end of said cannula; an insulative sheath disposed about the exterior of said cannula, wherein said insulative sheath is coupled to an attachment element situated near a proximal end of said cannula, the attachment element including an exterior surface defining a lumen enclosing a distal portion of the cannula and a distal portion of the insulative sheath, the attachment element including at least one longitudinally running slot and the proximal portion of the insulative sheath including at least one tab extending into the slot; a locking mechanism that selectively locks said needle element and said cannula together when said needle element is fully received in said cannula; and a handle attachable to at least one of said needle element and said cannula; wherein said access needle has a contact element coupleable to a source of electrical stimulation and in electrical communication with at least one of said shaped tip and said distal end of said cannula such that a stimulation signal is deliverable to a target region of said bony structure to perform a pedicle integrity assessment when said access needle is in contact with said bony structure.