Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method of the invention provide for the measurement of sensory or motor nerve conduction parameters with automatic setting of stimulus intensity. An apparatus of the invention includes a stimulator for stimulating a nerve, a detector for detecting an evoked signal generated by the nerve or a muscle innervated by the nerve, and a controller for determining a stimulus intensity for use in conducting the measurements in response to the stimulation and evoked signal. Methods of the invention include stimulating a nerve, detecting an evoked signal generated by the nerve or by a muscle innervated by the nerve in response to the stimulation, and determining a stimulus intensity for use in conducting sensory or motor nerve conduction in response to the stimulation and evoked signal. In determining the stimulus intensity level, the nerve is stimulated at incrementally increasing stimulus intensities, and the respective evoked signals are detected. A parameter that quantifies the magnitude of each evoked signal is then determined, and the parameters of two consecutive evoked signals are compared until the parameter of one of the evoked signals is greater than a predetermined fraction of the parameter of an immediately succeeding evoked signal.

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First Claim