Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for recording activity in intact nerves

US3957036A · kind A · utility

256Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 3, 1975
Grant dateMay 18, 1976
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/29
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided which will attenuate bioelectric interference when measuring the activity in an intact nerve. An electrode probe is provided having first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of a thin, flexible, insulating carrier. The probe is inserted between the nerve to be measured and the underlying body tissue with one electrode contacting only the nerve and the second electrode contacting only the tissue. The nerve and the tissue thereby form in effect a Wheatstone bridge about the carrier and the symmetrical electrodes which thus provides a nulling effect on extraneous electrical potentials, while a measurement of nerve potentials appearing as a voltage difference between the electrodes provides a measurement of activity in the nerve. Additional, symmetrical pairs of electrodes may be positioned on the same carrier, and their outputs may electronically be combined for increasing the signal-to-noise ratio in the measurement. The apparatus may also be implanted in a body by covering the first electrode and the portion of the nerve in contact with the electrode with a second insulator which is preferably bonded to the first insulator, the elect…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.