Patent ID: 8137285

Claim:
A monopolar probe for use with a neuro-monitoring device, comprising: (1) a wire probe comprising an electrically insulated wire having a probe tip at a first end an opposing second end, said second end being free of insulation; (2) a cable having a connector at one end to connect said cable to a neuro-monitoring device and an adaptor at an opposing end of said cable, said adaptor dimensioned to receive said second end of said wire; and (3) a handle having an exterior surface, a first end, an opposing second end and a side, said handle having a channel formed inside said handle and running from said first end of said handle toward said second end, said channel terminating in a shaped portion toward said second end and open radially to said exterior surface of said side of said handle so that said shaped portion is in communication with said channel and said exterior surface of said handle, said shaped portion adapted to receive said adaptor inserted radially from said exterior surface at said side of said handle, said channel dimensioned to receive said second end of said wire inserted through said channel from said first end of said handle, said adaptor, when in said shaped portion of said handle, preventing further axial movement of said second end of said wire toward said second end of said handle but not preventing axial movement of said wire toward said first end of said handle so that said handle is configured to be removed from said wire probe after said wire probe is inserted into a patient by sliding said wire from said first end of said channel.