Patent Application
20080221473
1. Field
The present invention relates generally to a system and methods aimed at surgery, and more particularly to a system and methods for monitoring nervous tissue to assess the integrity of a pedicle wall during or after pilot hole formation and before, during, or after screw implantation, particularly in the thoracic spine.
2. Background
Pedicle fixation is one of the most common methods used to fix vertebra relative to each other in the rapidly expanding discipline of spinal fusion. Pedicle fixation generally involves the implantation of a pedicle screw in each of at least two adjacent vertebra and securing of a rod thereafter to each pedicle screw, eliminating movement between the vertebra. By way of example,
Because of the extreme closeness of neural tissue all around the pedicle, the risk of neurological impairment is a paramount concern during pedicle screw fixation, as it is in all procedures performed in close proximity to neural tissue. The spinal canal 5, which houses the spinal cord in the cervical and thoracic spine, and nerve roots in the lumbar spine, lies just medial to the pedicle, and exiting nerve roots leave the spinal canal 5 directly above and below the pedicle 2. There is thus little room for error when implanting pedicle screws and any such error may have dire consequences. If the pedicle (or more specifically, the cortex of the medial wall, lateral wall, superior wall and/or inferior wall) is breached, cracked, or otherwise compromised, the patient may experience neurologic deficit due to unwanted contact between the pedicle screw (or other instruments used during screw placement or pilot hole formation) and delicate neural structures such as the spinal cord or nerve roots. The neurologic deficit may range from a slight loss of sensation to paralysis. Even absent neurologic impairment, an improperly placed pedicle screw still oftentimes necessitates revision surgery, which is disadvantageously painful for the patient and costly, both in terms of recovery time and hospitalization.
It should be appreciated that the “thoracic” region, as used herein and indicated in
To combat the risk of neurological impairment during pedicle screw fixation in the lumbar spine, many surgeons rely on neurophysiology monitoring to monitor nerves and help avoid, or at least alert them to, a pedicle breach. Pedicle integrity assessments, sometimes called screw tests, capitalize on the insulating characteristics of bone and the conductivity of the neural structures. That is, if the pedicle is breached, a pulse of electrical current applied to the pedicle screw and/or the pilot hole (prior to screw introduction) will cause the nearby nerve root to depolarize and various muscle groups innervated by the nerve will contract. If the pedicle wall has not been breached, the insulating nature of the pedicle will prevent the stimulation signal from depolarizing the given nerve roots such that the associated muscle groups will not twitch. EMG systems may be used to augment the ability to detect muscle response to the stimulus.
Screw testing may greatly reduce the risk associated with implanting a pedicle screw in the lumbar region. This is not necessarily so in the thoracic region because the presence of the spinal cord in the spinal canal (as opposed to only nerve roots in the spinal canal of the lumbar region) complicates the screw test. While a screw test in the thoracic region may reveal lateral, superior, and/or inferior pedicle breaches, which would result in stimulation of a nerve root, a medial breach may go undetected because the same stimulation signal may not produce a measurable response when communicating with the spinal cord. With the presence of the spinal cord and the smaller size of the pedicle structure in the thoracic region, the ability to accurately test pedicle integrity may be every bit as beneficial, if not more so, as it has proven to be in the lumbar region. Although not a traditional concern in cervical screw placement (cervical screws generally placed in lateral mass vs. the pedicle), pedicle screw testing my be of benefit if pedicle-based fixation in the cervical spine becomes viable based on technical advances in screw technology.
Based on the foregoing, a need exists to better assess the integrity of pedicles during pedicle fixation in the presence of the spinal cord, particularly in the thoracic region of the spine. The invention described herein is aimed at addressing this need.
The present invention includes a system and related methods for performing neurophysiologic assessments performing pedicle integrity assessments (screw tests) of the thoracic and cervical spine.
According to a broad aspect, the present invention includes a neuromonitoring system, comprising a control unit, a stimulator, and a sensor and method for using the system for bone integrity testing. The control unit is configured to direct the stimulator to deliver stimulation signals of multiple electrical pulses, receive and process neuromuscular responses detected by the sensor, and identify a relationship between the neuromuscular response and the stimulation signal to assess whether a portion of vertebral bone has been breached or is close to being breached due to the implantation of a bone screw or formation and preparation of a pilot hole.
In one embodiment, the relationship identified between the neuromuscular response and the stimulation signal is the lowest (threshold) stimulation that is necessary to evoke a significant neuromuscular response. A significant neuromuscular response is a response of a predetermined magnitude.
In one embodiment, the control unit is configured to display one of graphical, alpha-numeric, and color based indicia to communicate the stimulation results to the user in a simple fashion. The control unit may also include a graphical user interface to receive user instructions.
In one embodiment, the stimulation signal comprises several electrical pulses of a constant current. The stimulation signal may include a train of pulses ranging in number from 2 to 8. The pulses may be separated by an interpulse gap ranging from 1 ms to 10 ms and the pulse widths may range from 50 μs to 400 μs. The use of the multipulse stimulation signal may improve that reproducibility of activating the spinal cord with a particular degree of communication and thus result in a more reliable stimulation threshold determination for thoracic and cervical screw testing.
In one embodiment, the control unit executes an algorithm to automatically adjust the stimulation current until the stimulation threshold, Ithresh, is found. The algorithm may utilize a bracketing method and bisection method to quickly determine Ithresh. The bracketing method proceeds by beginning stimulation at a predetermined minimum current and exponentially doubling the current with each stimulation thereafter until a the upper boundary of the bracket is found. The upper boundary of the bracket is the first stimulation current that evokes a significant neuromuscular response. The bisection method proceeds by stimulating with a current at the midpoint of the bracket and shrinking the bracket to either the upper half or lower half. If the stimulation current at the midpoint evokes a significant response, the bracket shrinks to the upper half. If the stimulation current does not evoke a significant response, the bracket shrinks to the lower half. The bisection process continues until the bracket has shrunken to predetermined range. Ithresh may be selected as any value within the final bracket. After Ithresh has been found, the algorithm may continue to verify the result by stimulating at the upper and lower boundaries of the final bracket. The algorithm may determine Ithresh one time and then stop, or, the algorithm may continue to update the result until user intervention occurs.
In one embodiment, the sensors included with the system are EMG electrodes. The EMG electrodes detect the electric voltage associated with a muscle contraction. Preferably, the system uses 8 EMG electrodes to monitor 8 different myotomes during nerve monitoring.
In a further embodiment, the control unit communicates with a surgical instrument to transmit the stimulation signal to the nervous tissue. The surgical instrument has at least one stimulation electrode region linked to the control unit for transmitting the stimulation signal. The surgical instrument may be directly linked to the stimulator or the surgical instrument may be linked to the stimulator by a coupling device. The surgical instrument may be configured to deliver stimulation signal while in use forming or preparing a pedicle.
In one embodiment, the control unit may be further configured to assess other neurophysiologic conditions. The control unit may be configured to assess one of pedicle integrity of the lumbar spine, nerve proximity, nerve pathology, neuromuscular pathway status, and spinal cord health.
Many advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with a reading of this specification in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals are applied to like elements and wherein:
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. The systems and methods disclosed herein boast a variety of inventive features and components that warrant patent protection, both individually and in combination.
The system described herein is directed towards performing pedicle integrity assessments and particularly pedicle integrity assessments in the thoracic and/or cervical spine. Other neurophysiologic assessments may also be performed before, during, and/or after surgery.
The neuromonitoring system 10 includes a control unit 12, a patient module 14, an EMG harness 16, including eight pairs of EMG electrodes 18 and a return electrode 21 coupled to the patient module 14, and one or more of a host of surgical accessories 30 capable of being coupled to the patient module via accessory cables 32. Additional components may include, a pair of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) electrodes (one positive and one negative) 24 also coupled to the patient module 14 and an MEP stimulator 22 including a pair of stimulation electrodes 23. The surgical accessories 30 may include, but are not necessarily limited to, devices for performing pedicle screw tests (such as a screw test probe 34 and electric coupling devices 42 or 52), surgical access components (such as a K-wire 62, one or more dilating cannula 64, a working cannula 66, and tissue retractor assembly 68), and neural pathology monitoring devices (such as a nerve root retractor 70).
A block diagram of the neuromonitoring system 10 is shown in
The patient module 14 is connected via a data cable 25 to the control unit 12, and contains the electrical connections to all electrodes, signal conditioning circuitry, stimulator drive and steering circuitry, and a digital communications interface to the control unit 12. In use, the control unit 12 is situated outside but close to the surgical field (such as on a cart adjacent the operating table) such that the display 26 is directed towards the surgeon for easy visualization. The patient module 14 should be located between the patient's legs, or may be affixed to the end of the operating table at mid-leg level using a bedrail clamp. The position selected should be such that the EMG leads can reach their farthest desired location without tension during the surgical procedure. MEP stimulator 22 is connected to the control unit 12 via a data cable, or preferably a wireless connection may be employed. MEP stimulator 22 includes a high voltage transformer and signal conditioning circuitry (not shown), for delivering the high voltage output stimulation signal required for MEP. MEP stimulator is preferably positioned near the control unit 12 and may be fashioned with a mount or hook and hung from the surgical table, an IV pole near the patient's head, or other equipment positioned near the patient.
The information displayed to the user on the display 26 may include, but is not necessarily limited to, alpha-numeric and/or graphical information regarding any of the requested modes (e.g., MEP, SSEP, Twitch Test, Free-Run EMG, Screw Test (Basic, Difference, Dynamic), Detection, and Nerve Retractor), myotome/EMG levels, stimulation levels, etc. . . . In one embodiment, set forth by way of example only, this information may include at least some of the following components (depending on the active mode) as set forth in Table 1:
Much of the neuromonitoring functionality of the neuromonitoring system 10 is based on assessing the evoked response of the various muscles myotomes monitored by the system 10 in relation to a stimulation signal transmitted by the system 10. The EMG responses, illustrated by way of example in
Various parameters and configurations of the neuromonitoring system 10 may depend upon the target location, i.e. spinal region, of the surgical procedure. In one embodiment, the user may select the location of the procedure from the GUI display 26 prior to selecting a desired function. A “site selection” screen is illustrated, by way of example only, in
The neuromonitoring system 10 performs various functions (described below) by having the control unit 12 and patient module 14 (or MEP stimulator 21) cooperate to deliver stimulation signals to nearby nervous tissue and monitor muscle response to said stimulus. A basic premise underlying the methods employed by the system 10 for much of the neurophysiologic monitoring is that neurons and nerves have characteristic threshold current levels (IThresh) at which they will depolarize, resulting in detectable muscle activity. Below this threshold current, stimulation signals will not evoke a significant EMG response. Each EMG response can be characterized by a peak-to-peak voltage of Vpp=Vmax−Vmin, shown in
To obtain Ithresh and take advantage of the useful information it provides, the system 10 identifies and measures the peak-to-peak voltage (Vpp) of each EMG response corresponding to a given stimulation current (Istim). Identifying the true Vpp of a response may be complicated by the existence of stimulation and/or noise artifacts which may create an erroneous Vpp measurement. To overcome this challenge, the neuromonitoring system 10 of the present invention may employ any number of suitable artifact rejection techniques such as those shown and described in full in the above referenced co-pending and commonly assigned PCT App. Ser. No. PCT/US2004/025550, entitled “System and Methods for Performing Dynamic Pedicle Integrity Assessments,” filed on Aug. 5, 2004. Upon measuring Vpp for each EMG response, the Vpp information is analyzed relative to the corresponding stimulation current (Istim) in order to identify the minimum stimulation current (IThresh) capable of resulting in a predetermined Vpp EMG response. According to the present invention, the determination of IThresh may be accomplished via any of a variety of suitable algorithms or techniques.
To find the initial bracket, the bracketing method adjusts the stimulation current as follows. Stimulation begins at a predetermined minimum stimulation current. The minimum stimulation current depends upon the selected function, by way of example only, the minimum stimulation current used for screw testing may be 1.0 mA while the minimum stimulation current used for MEP monitoring may be 60 mA. Each subsequent stimulation is delivered at a current level double that of the preceding current. This exponential doubling continues until a stimulation current results in an EMG response with a Vpp greater than Vthresh (i.e. it “recruits”). This first stimulation current to recruit, together with the last stimulation current to have not recruited, forms the initial bracket, as illustrated in
With respect to
Once the bracketing and bisection methods have been completed and Ithresh found, a third method (confirmation phase) may be employed by the algorithm. During the confirmation phase, the algorithm may continuously check the validity of the original Ithresh and ensure current thresholds are not changing. This may be accomplished, as illustrated in
During some functions (e.g. Screw Tests and Detection) stimulations may stop after Ithresh is determined for the channel possessing the lowest Ithresh For other functions (e.g. Nerve Retractor, MEP), however, it may useful to determine Ithresh repeatedly for every channel. To accomplish this quickly, the hunting algorithm may employ additional methods allowing it to omit certain stimulations, thereby reducing the number of stimulations and time required to obtain an Ithresh value on each channel. Ithresh is still found using the bracketing and bisection methods described above, however the algorithm will omit stimulations for which the result is predictable from data previously acquired. When a stimulation signal is omitted, the algorithm proceeds as if the stimulation had taken place. This permits the algorithm to proceed to the next required stimulation immediately, without a time delay inherently associated with each stimulation signal. To further reduce the number of stimulations required over the time frame of an entire surgical procedure, the algorithm may confirm previously obtained Ithresh values (e.g. by stimulation at current levels just below and at/or just above Ithresh and determining whether the resulting responses are consistent with the previously acquired Ithresh value), rather than initiating stimulations from the beginning each time a function is performed.
Although the hunting algorithm is discussed herein in terms of finding Ithresh (the lowest stimulation current that evokes a predetermined EMG response), it is contemplated that alternative stimulation thresholds may be useful in assessing the health of the spinal cord or nerve monitoring functions and may be determined by the hunting algorithm. By way of example only, the hunting algorithm may be employed by the system 10 to determine a stimulation voltage threshold, Vstimthresh. This is the lowest stimulation voltage (as opposed to the lowest stimulation current) necessary to evoke a significant EMG response, Vthresh. Bracketing, bisection and monitoring states are conducted as described above for each active channel, with brackets based on voltage being substituted for the current based brackets previously described.
The neuromonitoring system 10 may test the integrity of pedicle holes during all aspects of pilot hole formation (e.g., via an awl), pilot hole preparation (e.g. via a tap), and screw introduction (before, during, and after) via the Basic Screw Test, Difference Screw Test, and/or Dynamic Screw Test modes. These modes are described in detail in Int'l Patent App. No. PCT/US02/35047 entitled “System and Methods for Performing Percutaneous Pedicle Integrity Assessments,” filed on Oct. 30, 2002, and PCT/US2004/025550, entitled “System and Methods for Performing Dynamic Pedicle Integrity Assessments,” filed on Aug. 5, 2004 the entire contents of which are both hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. In general, the Basic Screw Test, Difference Screw Test, and Dynamic Screw Test modes are designed to assess the integrity of bone by monitoring the degree of electrical communication between the hole formation/preparation tool and/or screw and the nearby nerve tissue via stimulation threshold determination, preferably using the hunting algorithm described above.
As mentioned above, each of the screw test modes may be performed in the lumbar thoracic, and cervical spines. While the basic principle of the screw test remains the same for all levels (i.e. monitoring communication between instrument/screw and nerve tissue via Ithresh monitoring), certain distinctions may apply depending on the level selected. Because of the proximity of the spinal cord to thoracic and cervical pedicles, for example, the stimulation signal characteristics used for lumbar testing may not be effective when monitoring in the thoracic and/or cervical levels. To account for this, the surgical system 10 is equipped to deliver stimulation signals having different characteristics based on the region selected. By way of example only, when the lumbar region is selected stimulation signals for the screw test modes comprise single pulse signals. On the other hand, when the thoracic and cervical regions are selected the stimulation signals may be configured as multipulse signals.
A single pulse signal such as is preferably utilized for the Basic, Difference, and Dynamic screw tests is illustrated by way of example only in
To achieve reproducible results when stimulating the spinal cord (as occurs when detecting a medial breach in thoracic and cervical pedicles), the neuromonitoring system 10 utilizes a multipulse stimulation signal when employing the Basic, Difference, and Dynamic screw test modes in the thoracic or cervical spine.
Default stimulation signal characteristics are assigned by the system 10 based upon spine region selected during site selection, as described above. The final decision whether to proceed with a single pulse signal or multipulse signal, as well as the specific parameters of each signal, lies with the responsible clinician or surgeon and should be based on their experience and needs. The parameters of the stimulation signal may be adjusted as desired at any time. This may preferably be accomplished using either a standard setup screen or a function specific setup screen (not shown) on the GUI display.
With reference to
Also with reference to
Alternatively, the electrical coupling device may be embodied in the form of a clip 52. The clip 52 is comprised of two prongs hingedly coupled at a coupling point 54 such that the clip 52 includes an attachment end 56 and a non-attachment end 58. A stimulation electrode 60 is disposed on the attachment end 56 and communicates with an electric cable 50 extending from the non-attachment end 58 to the handle 34. In a “closed” position the prong ends at the attachment end 56 touch. Depressing the prongs at the non-attachment end 58 in a direction towards each other causes a gap to form between the prong ends at the attachment end 56. Positioning the “opened” attachment end 56 over a desired surgical tool and releasing the force on the non-attachment end 58 causes the attachment end 56 to pinch tight on the surgical tool and thereby allow the electrical stimulus to pass from the screw test handle 34, through the stimulation electrode 60, to the surgical tool.
To perform the Basic Screw Test the screw test probe 34 is placed in the screw hole prior to screw insertion or placed on the installed screw head stimulation is activated from one or more buttons on the stimulation handle 40 or from the GUI display 26. As previously discussed the parameters of the stimulation signal vary depending upon which region of the spine is selected. Stimulations will commence according to the algorithm described above and continue until Ithresh is determined. In one embodiment the algorithm ceases after the lowest Ithresh is determined. Alternatively, the algorithm may continue until Ithresh is found for every channel, omitting stimulations as described above when applicable. The insulating character of bone will prevent the stimulation current, up to a certain amplitude, from communicating with the nerve, thus resulting in a relatively high Ithresh, as determined via the basic threshold hunting algorithm described above. However, in the event the pedicle wall has been breached by the screw or tap the current density in the breach area will increase to the point that the stimulation current will pass through to the adjacent neural tissue and it will depolarize at a lower stimulation current, thus Ithresh will be relatively low. If a breach or potential breach is detected, the user may simply redirect the pilot hole formation or withdraw the misplaced pedicle screw and redirect to ensure proper placement.
The Difference Screw Test is similar to the Basic Screw Test; however, a baseline threshold value is determined by directly stimulating a nerve with probe 34. After establishing the baseline threshold the screw or pilot hole is stimulated according to the algorithm and the threshold result is compared to the baseline result. The difference value may then be used indicate the relative safety level.
In Dynamic Screw Test mode, electric coupling device 42 or 52 may be utilized to couple a surgical tool, such as for example, a tap member 72 or a bone awl 74, to the neuromonitoring system 10. In this manner, stimulation signals may be passed through the surgical tool and pedicle integrity testing can be performed while the tool is in use. Thus, screw testing may be performed during pilot hole formation by coupling the bone awl 74 to the neuromonitoring system 10 and during pilot hole preparation by coupling the tap 72 to the system 10. Likewise, by coupling a pedicle screw to the neuromonitoring system 10 (such as via pedicle screw instrumentation), screw testing may be performed during screw introduction. Upon activating the dynamic screw test, stimulations are delivered according to the algorithm until Ithresh is found. Unlike the Basic and Difference tests, the Dynamic screw test continually monitors and updates Ithresh until the user stops the test. To do so, the algorithm preferably uses the confirmation step described above to quickly and continuously update the threshold results.
Stimulation results and other relevant data are conveyed to the user on display 26, as illustrated in
Other functional modes of the neuromonitoring system 10 may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the Twitch Test, Free-run EMG, MaXcess® Detection, Nerve Retractor, MEP Auto, MEP manual, and SSEP modes. The Twitch Test mode is designed to assess the neuromuscular pathway via the so-called “train-of-four test” test to ensure the neuromuscular pathway is free from muscle relaxants prior to performing neurophysiology-based testing, such as screw testing, nerve detection, and nerve retraction. This is described in greater detail within Int'l Patent App. No. PCT/US2005/036089, entitled “System and Methods for Assessing the Neuromuscular Pathway Prior to Nerve Testing,” filed Oct. 7, 2005, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. The MaXcess® Detection mode is designed to detect the presence of nerves during the use of the various surgical access instruments of the neuromonitoring system 10, including the k-wire 62, dilator 64, cannula 66, retractor assembly 68. This mode is described in greater detail within Int'l Patent App. No PCT/US02/22247, entitled “System and Methods for Determining Nerve Proximity, Direction, and Pathology During Surgery,” filed on Jul. 11, 2002, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. The Nerve Retractor mode is designed to assess the health or pathology of a nerve before, during, and after retraction of the nerve during a surgical procedure. This mode is described in greater detail within Int'l Patent App. No. PCT/US02/30617, entitled “System and Methods for Performing Surgical Procedures and Assessments,” filed on Sep. 25, 2002, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. The MEP Auto and MEP Manual modes are designed to test the motor pathway to detect potential damage to the spinal cord by stimulating the motor cortex in the brain and recording the resulting EMG response of various muscles in the upper and lower extremities. The SSEP function is designed to test the sensory pathway to detect potential damage to the spinal cord by stimulating peripheral nerves inferior to the target spinal level and recording the action potential from sensors superior to the spinal level. The MEP Auto, MEP manual, and SSEP modes are described in greater detail within Int'l Patent App. No. PCT/US2006/003966, entitled “System and Methods for Performing Neurophysiologic Assessments During Spine Surgery,” filed on Feb. 2, 2006, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. These functions will be explained now in brief detail.
The neuromonitoring system 10 performs neuromuscular pathway (NMP) assessments, via Twitch Test mode, by electrically stimulating a peripheral nerve via PNS electrodes 24 placed on the skin over the nerve or by direct stimulation of a spinal nerve using a surgical accessory such as screw test probe 34. Evoked responses from the muscles innervated by the stimulated nerve are detected and recorded, the results of which are analyzed and a relationship between at least two responses or a stimulation signal and a response is identified. The identified relationship provides an indication of the current state of the NMP. The identified relationship may include, but is not necessarily limited to, one or more of magnitude ratios between multiple evoked responses and the presence or absence of an evoked response relative to a given stimulation signal or signals.
The neuromonitoring system 10 may perform nerve proximity testing, via the MaXcess® Detection mode, to ensure safe and reproducible access to surgical target sites. Using the surgical access components 62-66, the system 10 detects the existence of neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor through (or near) any of a variety of tissues having such neural structures which, if contacted or impinged, may otherwise result in neural impairment for the patient. The surgical access components 62-66 are designed to bluntly dissect the tissue between the patient's skin and the surgical target site. Cannulae or dilators of increasing diameter, which are equipped with one or more stimulating electrodes, are advanced towards the target site until a sufficient operating corridor is established. As the cannulae or dilators are advanced to the target site electrical stimulation signals are emitted via the stimulation electrodes. The stimulation signal will stimulate nerves in close proximity to the stimulation electrode and the corresponding EMG response is monitored. As a nerve gets closer to the stimulation electrode, the stimulation current (Istim) required to evoke a muscle response decreases. Ithresh is calculated, using the basic threshold hunting algorithm described above, providing a measure of the communication between the stimulation signal and the nerve and thus giving a relative indication of the proximity between access components and nerves.
Additional and/or alternative surgical access components such as, by way of example only, a tissue retraction assembly 68 (
The neuromonitoring system 10 preferably accomplishes neural pathology monitoring via the Nerve Retractor mode, specifically by determining a baseline stimulation threshold with direct contact between the nerve retractor 70 and the nerve, prior to retraction. Subsequent stimulation thresholds are determined during retraction and they are compared to the baseline threshold. Significant changes in the stimulation threshold may indicate potential trauma to the nerve caused by the retraction and are displayed to the user on the display 26. An increase in Ithresh, over time is an indication that the nerve function is deteriorating and retraction should be reduced or stopped altogether to prevent permanent damage. Ithresh is preferably determined for each channel according to the multi-channel hunting algorithm described above.
The neuromonitoring system 10 performs assessments of spinal cord health using one or more of MEP Auto, MEP Manual, and SSEP modes. In MEP modes, stimulation signals are delivered to the Motor Cortex via MEP stimulator 22 and resulting EMG responses are detected from various muscles in the upper and lower extremities. An increase in Ithresh from an earlier test to a later test may indicate a degradation of spinal cord function. Likewise, the absence of a significant EMG response to a given Istim on a channel that had previously reported a significant response to the same or lesser Istim is also indicative of a degradation in spinal cord function. These indicators are detected by the system in the MEP modes and reported to the surgeon. In MEP Auto mode, the system determines the Ithresh baseline for each channel corresponding to the various monitored muscles, preferably early in the procedure, using the multi-channel algorithm described. Throughout the procedure, subsequent tests may be conducted to again determine Ithresh for each channel. The difference between the resulting Ithresh values and the corresponding baseline are computed by the system 10 and compared against predetermined “safe” and “unsafe” difference values. The Ithresh, baseline, and difference values are displayed to the user, along with any other indicia of the safety level determined (such as a red, yellow, green color code). In MEP Manual mode, the user selects the stimulation current level and the system reports whether or not the stimulation signal evokes a significant response on each channel. Stimulation results may be represented as “YES” and “NO” responses, or other equivalent indicia. Using either mode, the surgeon may thus be alerted to potential complications with the spinal cord and any corrective actions deemed necessary may be undertaken at the discretion of the surgeon.
In SSEP mode, the neuromonitoring system 10 stimulates peripheral sensory nerves that exit the spinal cord below the level of surgery and then measures the electrical action potential from electrodes located on the nervous system tract superior to the surgical target site. To accomplish this, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) electrodes 24 may be placed on the skin over the desired peripheral nerve (such as by way of example only, the Posterior Tibial nerve) and recording electrodes 41 are positioned on the recording site (such as, by way of example only, the skin over the C2 vertebra) and stimulation signals are delivered from the patient module 14. Damage in the spinal cord may disrupt the transmission of the signal up the cord resulting in a weakened or delayed signal at the recording site. The system 10 determines differences in amplitude and latency between a signal response and a baseline signal response. The differences are compared against predetermined “safe” and “unsafe” levels.
The neuromonitoring system 10 may also conduct free-run EMG monitoring while the system is in any of the above-described modes. Free-run EMG monitoring continuously listens for spontaneous muscle activity that may be indicative of potential danger. The system 10 may automatically cycle into free-run monitoring after 5 seconds (by way of example only) of inactivity. Initiating a stimulation signal in the selected mode will interrupt the free-run monitoring until the system 10 has again been inactive for five seconds at which time the free-run begins again.
While this invention has been described in terms of a best mode for achieving this invention's objectives, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be accomplished in view of these teachings without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention. By way of example the present invention may be implemented using any combination of computer programming software, firmware or hardware. As a preparatory step to practicing the invention or constructing an apparatus according to the invention, the computer programming code (whether software or firmware) according to the invention will typically be stored in one or more machine readable storage mediums such as fixed (hard) drives, diskettes, optical disks, magnetic tape, semiconductor memories such as ROMs, PROMs, etc., thereby making an article of manufacture in accordance with the invention. The article of manufacture containing the computer programming code is used by either executing the code directly from the storage device, by copying the code from the storage device into another storage device such as a hard disk, RAM, etc. or by transmitting the code on a network for remote execution. As can be envisioned by one of skill in the art, many different combinations of the above may be used and accordingly the present invention is not limited by the specified scope.
This application is International Patent application claiming the benefit of priority from commonly owned and co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/719,886, entitled “System and Methods For Performing Pedicle Integrity Assessments of the Thoracic and/or Cervical Spine,” and filed on Sep. 22, 2005.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2006/037289 | 9/22/2006 | WO | 00 | 1/1/2008 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60719886 | Sep 2005 | US |
