A method for performing percutaneous spinal interbody fusion on a spine of a patient can include inserting without direct visualization a neuro-monitoring dilating probe into the patient, performing neuro-monitoring via the neuro-monitoring dilating probe, advancing the neuro-monitoring dilating probe into a disc space, passing a second dilator over the neuro-monitoring dilating probe, and advancing the second dilator into the disc space. A kit for performing percutaneous spinal interbody fusion can include a neuro-monitoring dilating probe, a second dilator, a tissue removal tool, an access portal comprising an adjustable depth stop, and a discectomy verification device.

A transcutaneous electrical stimulation system is provided that can include a number of features. In one implementation, the system can include a plurality of electrodes configured to be in contact with a skin surface of a patient. The system can further include a flexible hub electrically connected to the electrodes and configured to be in contact with the patient. A bend sensor can be disposed in the hub and configured to measure a curvature of the hub. The system can include a signal processing device electrically coupled to the plurality of electrodes and the bend sensor, the signal processing device being configured to change stimulation settings of the plurality of electrodes based on the curvature of the hub. In some implementations, the system can include a multi-channel stimulator. Methods of use are also provided.

Methods and systems are provided for the automated detection and analysis of structural tissue alterations related to myelin and axons/neurons in one or more biological structures of a patient's nervous system obtained from data from a medical imaging system, or the initial sensing or data collection processes such as, those that could be used to generate an image. In some embodiments, the method comprises, at a system having a memory and one or more processor for processing and displaying images of the biological structure, computationally processing at least a T1 weighted magnetic resonance image of the structure and a T2 weighted magnetic resonance image of the structure in order to analyze at least a portion of the structure of the nervous system using a plurality of stored tissue classifier elements to determine if the portion of the structure correlates with the presence of myelin. Such methods are useful for the detection of diseases associated with demyelination.

A device may obtain imaging data. The imaging data that is obtained depicts one or more body parts of a patient. A voltage sensitive dye may be applied to stain nerve tissue associated with the one or more body parts of the patient. The voltage sensitive dye may be activated by neuromodulation applied to stimulate the nerve tissue. The imaging data may capture a fluorescence of the nerve tissue based on the voltage sensitive dye being activated by neuromodulation. The device may provide the imaging data for display.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to pledget stimulation/recording electrode assemblies that are particularly useful for automatic periodic stimulation. Embodiments are compatible with nerve monitoring systems to provide continuous stimulation of a nerve during surgery. Disclosed embodiments include an electrode assembly having one or more electrodes rotatably supported by and positioned within a pledget substrate. The flexible pledget substrate conforms and fixates to bioelectric tissue to secure the electrode assembly in position, wrapped around the target tissue. In some embodiments, the pledget substrate includes two bodies, each including at least one electrode, the two bodies being selectively separable so that the bodies can be repositioned with respect to one another. The electrode assembly further includes a lead wire assembly including at least one insulating jacket positioned around a wire core. Optionally, the electrode assembly includes an insulating cup interconnecting the electrode and the insulating jacket.

A spinal probe comprises a handle, a shaft coupled to the handle and a force sensor to detect forces applied to a tip of the shaft. A controller that executes a predictive algorithm to predict whether or not the tip of the shaft is going to breach a cortex of a pedicle based on the detected forces. The controller may be embedded within the spinal probe or external within a computer or other device coupled to the probe by a data acquisition component.

The neural health or state of a subject is assessed. A recording is obtained of a compound action potential arising in neural tissue of the subject. The recording is processed to determine whether a profile of the recorded compound action potential is anomalous, such as by exhibiting doublets, peak broadening or deformation, or other anomaly. An indication is output regarding the neural state of the subject based on determined anomalies in the recorded compound action potential.

A system and methods for performing neurophysiology assessments during surgery, such as assessing the health of the spinal cord via at least one of MEP and SSEP monitoring and assessing bone integrity, nerve proximity, neuromuscular pathway, and nerve pathology during spine surgery.

The present invention provides a method of obtaining a classification boundary, to limit an axial depth in a puncturing operation. The following steps of method comprises: At first, obtaining a plurality of tomographic images from the axial depth of a tissue is performed. Then, obtaining a plurality of characteristic values from the tomographic images, the characteristic values are classified by a Support Vector Machine method. A classification boundary will be obtained through a distribution of the graph for defining a specific compartment of the tissue. In addition, an automatic recognition method and system using the above mentioned method are also disclosed in the present invention.

Some methods of analyzing one or more sections of a central nervous system of a patient comprise, for each of the section(s), from data the includes one or more 3D representations of the section, segmenting each of the 3D representation(s) into ventral and dorsal portions and, for at least one of the 3D representation(s), determining a mean curvature of at least a region of a surface of the dorsal portion and/or a mean curvature of at least a region of a surface of the ventral portion. Each of the section(s) can include at least a portion of a brainstem of the patient.