WO2016011515A1

WO2016011515A1 - Monopolar stimulation probe for electromyography

Info

Publication number: WO2016011515A1
Application number: PCT/BR2014/000253
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ricardo José Rodriguez FERREIRA
Original assignee: Ferreira Ricardo José Rodriguez
Priority date: 2014-07-25
Filing date: 2014-07-25
Publication date: 2016-01-28
Also published as: BR112017001594A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stimulation probe (E), preferably a monopolar stimulation probe, comprising a structural body (1), an electrode (2), a first power cable (3) and a second power cable (4) terminated with a connector (5) for a reference needle electrode (not shown), said power cables (3 and 4) having a section where they are simultaneously sheathed by a single cover (6). Structural body (1) comprises a lower housing (10) and an upper housing (11) that complement and fit each other. Said electrode (2) is provided with a tip (20) having at least one first support point (21) and a second support point (22) so as to make it easier to prop said tip (20) on the area the monopolar stimulation probe (E) is to be used.

Description

"MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY"

The present invention relates to a monopolar stimulation probe for electromyography, particularly used for carrying out electromyographic stimulation during procedures for placing pedicle screws so as to allow corrections on the positioning of said pedicle screws by monitoring possible neurological alterations caused by surgical procedures.

Background of the invention

Devices used for carrying out electromyographic stimulation provided with electrodes that make it possible to stimulate pedicle screws and capture muscle responses are known in the state of the art. Therefore, depending on the received muscle response, the monitoring system identifies pedicle screw positioning as the one responsible for causing undesired neurological alterations, thus allowing surgeon to correct pedicle screw positioning and avoiding damage to the patient's nervous system.

Using electromyographic stimulation probes during surgical procedures for placing pedicle screws is extremely important because it significantly increases the chances of a successful outcome as it provides greater accuracy in the procedure and agility in the surgery. This is because screws and holes which are correctly positioned have a pedicle wall with a cortical bone setting them apart from the nerve root. Therefore, the cortical bone forms a high impedance barrier to the passage of electric current, a breach on that pedicle wall being responsible for exposing the nerve root and an electrical stimulus on that screw or hole activates the nerve root thus causing a reaction on the muscle.

Nevertheless, although these electromyographic stimulation probes fulfil their function of monitoring and allowing corrections to the positioning of pedicle screws in surgical procedures, they are composed of a handle having an electrode (cathode) and a reference needle electrode (anode) which are independent from one another. This means that the handle and the needle are each provided with a power cable installed in the neurophysiological analyzer.

Therefore, one of the drawbacks of the existing electromyographic stimulation probes is the impracticality of using both the handle and the reference needle during surgical procedures as both cables end up getting in the way of the professionals involved in the surgical procedure.

Moreover, all the equipment and/or instruments used in surgical procedures need to go through a sterilization process for each time of use so as to destroy . all microbial life forms that could be existing on them and thus avoid contamination.

That way, another drawback of the existing electromyographic stimulation probes lies in the fact that using independent power cables, one for the handle and the other for the reference needle, considerably increase the volume of material to be sterilized after each surgical procedure since power cables represent most of the material making up the electromyographic stimulation probe.

Aiming at solving the aforementioned problems, the present invention proposes a monopolar stimulation probe for electromyographic procedures designed for greater convenience during the use of electromyographic stimulation probes in surgical procedures with the purpose of making procedures for placing pedicle screws more effective and less expensive.

As a result, one of the objects of the present invention is to join the electromyographic stimulation probe cables so that a single cable can be used to connect the handle and the reference needle to the neurophysiological analyzer. Thus, the volume of material to be sterilized after each surgical procedure is reduced by almost half.

Another object of the present invention is to bring the handle closer to the reference needle by using a cable with a smaller length so as to make it easier to handle such instruments and provide greater agility in handling them.

Advantageously, the present invention discloses a monopolar stimulation probe for electromyographic procedures which eliminates the need to use two independent power cables for the handle and the reference needle, besides making it easier to prop the handle on the area the probe is to be used during surgical procedures.

Brief description of the invention

Briefly, the present invention relates to a monopolar stimulation probe for electromyographic procedures comprising a structural body, an electrode, two power cables, each power cable starting from a connector plugged into a neurophysiological analyzer, and a connector for a reference needle electrode. Said structural body comprises a lower housing and an upper housing that complement and fit each other.

The electrode is provided with a tip having at least two support points so as to make it easier to prop said tip on the area the monopolar stimulation probe is to be used.

In order to better explain the present monopolar stimulation probe, schematic figures from a specific embodiment are shown below, the sizes and proportions of which are not necessarily the actual ones because the purpose of such figures is to simply present the several different aspects of the present invention, the scope of which being determined only from the scope of the invention in the attached claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The monopolar stimulation probe for electromyographic procedures will be described below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of the stimulation probe (E) of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is an exploded schematic view of the stimulation probe (E) of the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) of the present invention;

- Figure 4 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) in a constructive variant of the tip (20) of the present invention;

- Figure 5 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) in another constructive variant of the tip (20) of the present invention;

- Figure 6 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) in another constructive variant of the tip (20) of the present invention;

- Figure 7 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) in another constructive variant of the tip (20) of the present invention; and

- Figure 8 is a schematic view of the electrode (2) in another constructive variant of the tip (20) of the present invention; Detailed description of the invention

As illustrated in the attached drawings, the present invention relates to a stimulation probe (E), preferably a monopolar stimulation probe, comprising a structural body (1 ), an electrode (2), a first power cable (3), and a second power cable (4) terminated with a connector (5) for a reference needle electrode (not shown).

Said first power cable (3) is started from a first connector (30) while the second power cable (4) is started from a first connector (40), both connectors (30 and 40) being designed to be plugged into a neurophysiological analyzer (not shown). Preferably, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, said power cables (3 and 4) have a section where both are simultaneously sheathed by a single cover (6), for instance, the sections located between the connectors (30 and 40) and the structural body (1 ).

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 1 , said structural body (1 ) comprises a lower housing (1 0) and an upper housing (1 1 ) that complement and fit each other. At least one of said housings (1 0 and 1 1 ) is provided with an inner shoulder (12) arranged aligned with an opening (13) formed by recesses (1 00 and 1 1 0) from respective housings (1 0 and 1 1 ).

Said housings (10 and 1 1 ), respectively, are further provided with recesses (1 01 and 1 1 1 ) to form an opening (14) whose purpose is to allow for the passage of the electrode (2) from the inside to the outside of the structural body (1 ). Moreover, at least one of said housings (1 0 and 1 1 ) is provided with a holder (1 6) with the purpose of supporting the electrode (2).

Said electrode (2) can be fixed inside the structural body (1 ) by any convenient means such as by welding or press fit using a clamp (not shown), for example. Preferably, as illustrated in Figure 2, said electrode (2) is further provided with shoulders (23) which fit into canals (160) said holder (16), so as to prevent the electrode (2) from rotating around its reference axis.

As a result, the power cables (3 and 4) go through the opening (13) of the structural body (1 ) and they may or may not be sheathed by a single cover (6). Thus, the first power cable (3) runs parallel to the inner shoulder (12) and goes forward until it meets the electrode (2), while the second power cable (4) goes around said inner shoulder (12) making a u-turn and comes out of the structural body (1 ) through the opening (13).

Optionally, at least either the lower housing (10) or the upper housing (1 1 ) is provided with at least one backup wall (1 5) to serve as a support for the second power cable (4) and/or the first power cable (3). Therefore, said backup wall (15) is, preferably, arranged between the opening (13) and the shoulder (12).

Said electrode (2) is provided with a tip (20) having at least a first support point (21 ) and a second support point (22), so as to make it easier to prop said tip on the area the monopolar stimulation probe is to be used. Preferably, said electrode (2) is provided with a coating (not shown) made up by insulating material, only the edge of the electrode (2) comprising the support points (21 and 22) being free of such coating to avoid possible contact causing distortions in signal reception emitted by electrode (2).

As illustrated in Figure 3, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, said tip (20) takes a continuous Y shape without the need of any weld spot.

In another embodiment of the present invention, said tip (20) can further take a yoke shape having or not weld spots. It will be understood, though, that said tip (20) can take any shape comprising at least two support points, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferably, as illustrated in Figure 3, said electrode (2) comprises a single body. In an alternative construction of the present invention, said tip (20) may be removable and inserted into a section (200) of the electrode (2). Such an insert can take place, for example, by press fit or interference fit.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the structural body (1 ) may be devoid of an inner shoulder (12), the second power cable (4) coming out of said structural body (1 ) directly by a side opening (not shown), or even being detached from the first power cable (3) before going through the opening (13) of the structural body (1 ). In such a case, only the first power cable (3) goes into the structural body (1 ) while the second power cable (4) goes directly outside said structural body (1 ) and is terminated with the connector (5).

Variations and modifications with respect to the embodiments shown and described in the attached drawings will readily occur to a person skilled in the art without departing from scope as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1 . MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, provided with a structural body (1 ) with openings (13 and 14), an electrode (2) and a first power cable (3), arranged from a first connector (30),characterized in that it comprises a second power cable (4) arranged from a second connector (40), in which:

second power cable (4) is terminated with a connector (5); tip (20) of the electrode (2) is provided with at least one first support point (21 ) and a second support point (22).

2. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claim 1 , characterized in that power cables (3 and 4) have a section where they are simultaneously sheathed by a single cover (6).

3. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claim 1 , characterized in that structural body (1 ) comprises a lower housing (1 0) provided with recesses (100 and 101 ), and an upper housing (1 1 ) provided with recesses (1 10 and 1 1 1 ).

4. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 or 3, characterized in that housings (10 and 1 1 ) fit each other.

5. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 3 or 4, characterized in that at least one of either housings (1 0 and 1 1 ) is provided with an inner shoulder (12) arranged aligned with the opening (13).

6. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that at least one of either housings (1 0 and 1 1 ) is provided with a holder (1 6).

7. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 3 or 5, characterized in that first power cable (3) runs parallel to the inner shoulder (12) and goes forward until it meets the electrode (2); second power cable (4) goes around the inner shoulder (12) and comes out of the structural body (1 ).

8. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that at least one of either housings (1 0 and 1 ) is provided with at least one backup wall (15).

9. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 or 7, characterized in that tip (20) takes a continuous Y shape without weld spots.

10. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 or 7, characterized in that tip (20) takes a yoke shape.

1 1 . MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 or 7, characterized in that electrode (2) comprises a single body.

12. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 7 or 1 , characterized in that tip (20) is removable and inserted into a section (200) of the electrode (2).

13. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 or 3, characterized in that structural body (1 ) is provided with a side opening.

14. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 3 or 13, characterized in that second power cable (4) comes out of the structural body (1 ) through the side opening.

15. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that second power cable (4) is detached from the first power cable (3) before going through the opening (13).

16. MONOPOLAR STIMULATION PROBE FOR ELECTROMYOGRAPHY, according to claims 1 , 7, 1 1 or 12, characterized in that electrode (2) is provided with shoulders (23) that fit into the canals (160) of the holder (16).