US6760616B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tissue discrimination and applications in medical procedures
Assignee: Nuvasive Inc
•
Filing: 2001-05-18
•
Granted: 2004-07-06
•
Expires: 2021-05-18
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for discriminating tissue types, controlling the level of therapy to tissue, and determining the health of a known tissue by measuring the characteristics an electrical signal applied to conductive element located within or by the tissue. Additionally, the method and system may be used for determining whether the conductive tip of a pedicle probe or pedicle screw is located in one of cortical bone, cancellous bone, and cortical bone near a boundary with soft tissue, whether the conductive tip of a cannula is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and annulus tissue, and whether the conductive tip of a cathode is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and prostate gland tissue.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael F. Hoey
- 👤 Corbett W. Stone
- 👤 Kevin Foley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:20
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/48; A61B5/4869; A61B5/05; A61B5/053; A61B5/0537; A61B5/0538; A61B5/4887; A61B5/4893; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7001; A61B18/00; A61B18/02; A61B18/04; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue comprising the steps of: a) applying an electrical signal to the conductive element; b) determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle; and c) determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue comprising the steps of: a) applying an electrical signal to the conductive element; b) determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle; and c) determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined characteristics of the applied signal include an impedance of the applied signal through the tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises one of a cannula and a cathode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step a) applies signals having a range of predetermined frequencies to the conductive element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein step a) includes determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a said tissue based on the determined characteristics and frequency of the resulting signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element is an electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element includes a pair of electrodes and the signal is passed between said electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal is an electrical signal having a sliding frequency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
An article of manufacture for use in determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps: a) applying a signal to the conductive element; b) determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle; and c) determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
An article of manufacture for use in determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps: a) applying a signal to the conductive element; b) determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle; and c) determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein the determined characteristics of the applied signal further include an impedance of the applied signal through the tissue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein the probe comprises one of a cannula and a cathode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein step a) applies signals having a range of predetermined frequencies to the conductive element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein step c) includes determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to said tissue based on the determined characteristics and frequency of the resulting signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein the conductive element is an electrode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein the conductive element includes a pair of electrodes and the signal is passed between said electrodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein the signal is an electrical signal having a sliding frequency.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for use in determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue, the apparatus including: a) means for applying a signal to the conductive element; b) means for determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle of the applied signal; and c) means for determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for use in determining whether a conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue, the apparatus including: a) means for applying a signal to the conductive element; b) means for determining characteristics of the applied signal, including a phase angle of the applied signal; and c) means for determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a characterized body tissue based on the phase angle of the applied signal, wherein said characterized body tissue comprises one of nerve tissue, prostate gland tissue, and annulus tissue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the determined characteristics of the applied signal include an impedance of the applied signal through the tissue.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein means for applying a signal includes means for applying signals having a range of predetermined frequencies to the conductive element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the means for determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to a said tissue includes means for determining whether the conductive element of a probe is located adjacent to said tissue based on the determined characteristics and frequency of the signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the conductive element is an electrode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the conductive element includes a pair of electrodes and the signal is passed between said electrodes.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the signal is an electrical signal having a sliding frequency.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the probe comprises one of a cannula and a cathode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4962766A
Cited
US5775331A
Cited
US5759159A
Cited
US6135965A
Cited
US5928158A
Cited
US6292701B1
Cited
US6466817B1
Cited
US6312392B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-07-06 | 2008-01-05 | 2008-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-07-06 | 2012-01-05 | 2012-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-07-06 | 2016-01-05 | 2016-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |