Patent ID: 8083685

Claim:
A surgical system for mapping the location of an internal nerve within a body cavity of a body, the system comprising: a handle securable to the exterior of the body; at least one catheter fixed to the handle, the at least one catheter operable to insert through a body surface to provide access to the body cavity; at least one electrode probe adapted to pass through the at least one catheter to a position accessible by a laparoscopic device disposed in the body cavity, the at least one electrode probe operable to be pulled through from the at least one catheter under the influence of the laparoscopic device and independently of any movement of the handle or catheter, to couple the at least one electrode probe to the body within the body cavity proximate to a nerve; an exploratory probe separate and distinct from the at least one electrode probe, and which is adapted to be disposed in the body cavity and operable to introduce an electrical signal to the body within the body cavity proximate the nerve and distal the at least one electrode probe; and an analyzer interfaced with the at least one electrode probe, the analyzer operable to indicate the proximity of the exploratory probe to the nerve based on the strength of an electrical signal sensed at the at least one electrode probe, to thereby determine the location of the nerve.