System and Methods for Nerve Monitoring

Abstract

A system and related methods for performing nerve detection during surgical access using ultrasound testing during surgery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for safely avoiding nerve tissue during access to a surgical target site during surgery, comprising conducting both neurophysiologic testing and ultrasound testing to detect the presence of nerve tissue near an instrument equipped with at least one electrode for emitting a stimulation signal and at least one ultrasound transducer for emitting ultrasound signals while advancing the instrument to the surgical target site. 
     
     
         2 . The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the ultrasound testing uses a signal having a frequency in the range of 50 kHz to 16 MHz. 
     
     
         3 . The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the neurophysiologic testing and ultrasound testing are performed substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         4 . The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein said transducer is located at a distal end of said instrument and is configured to transmit ultrasound signals through body tissue to nerve tissue near the surgical instrument during surgical access. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the transducer is further configured to receive ultrasound signals after they reflect off at least the nerve tissue adjacent to the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the transducer is an array transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the transducer includes multiple elements arranged in a circular pattern about the distal end of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the further step of displaying an image of the ultrasound testing on a display screen. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the image depicts the position of the distal end of the surgical instrument in relation to the nerve tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the image is displayed together with data associated with the neurophysiologic testing.