NERVE MONITORING DURING ELECTROSURGERY

• Main Authors: MEYER, John A, MURPHY, John Murdock, MENDEZ, Adnorin Luis, MCFARLIN, Kevin Lee, HACKER, David C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.06.2017
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY

A nerve integrity monitoring system for use during operation of an electrosurgical unit, comprising: a plurality of sensing probes (52) adapted to generate a plurality of input signals, the plurality of input signals including a first input signal indicative of electromyographic (EMG) activity of the patient and a second input signal indicative of an artifact of metal-to-metal contact; an input module (122) electrically coupled to the plurality of sensing probes and adapted to receive the plurality of input signals; an EMG detection module (130) coupled to the input module and adapted to detect conditions in the first input signal and classify the conditions as a function of a level of EMG activity received from the patient; an artifact detection module (126) adapted to detect the artifact in the second input signal; and an output module (124) coupled to the EMG detection module and the artifact detection module, and adapted to simultaneously provide a first output signal indicative of the detected conditions in the first input signal and provide a second output signal indicative of the artifact.