An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An automated EP analysis apparatus for monitoring, detecting and identifying changes (adverse or recovering) to a physiological system generating the analyzed EPs, wherein the apparatus is adapted to characterize and classify EPs and create alerts of changes (adverse or recovering) to the physiological systems generating the EPs if the acquired EP waveforms change significantly in latency, amplitude or morphology.

The present disclosure provides a device for carrying out magnetic resonance imaging compatible optogenetics; and methods for using the device.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique whereby multiple projection targets are efficiently identified from multiple neurons in multiple brain areas with the use of multis-point light stimulation. An acquisition unit 52 acquires spike signals generated from multiple neurons existing in the vicinity of two or more recording sites. A stimulation control unit 51 selects one projection target candidate from two or more candidates in accordance with a definite system on the basis of the spike signals and then determines irradiation timing of light stimulation. Upon the light stimulation, a management unit 53 acquires the spike signals in all of the recording sites within a definite period of time before or after the light stimulation, while dividing the spike signals into anti responses and collision responses. An anti response management unit 81 acquires and manages information relating to the anti responses. A collision response management unit 82 acquires and manages information relating to the collision responses. A priority control section 54 corrects and determines priority depending on the anti response information and the collision response information.

Stimulation and recording electrode assemblies that are particularly useful for Automatic Period Stimulation (APS). Such embodiments are compatible with nerve monitoring systems to provide continuous stimulation of a nerve during surgery. Certain embodiments include an electrode assembly having cuff including a body and two ears extending from the body. Within the body, at least one electrode is supported and connected to a lead wire assembly. The ears can be brought together to enlarge a gap in the body so that the electrode assembly can be fixated around a nerve. Other embodiments include an electrode assembly including first and second needle electrodes that each have a tip. A body is provided to interconnect the needle electrodes and can be manipulated to move the tips either toward or away from one another. Disclosed embodiments provide nerve monitoring and stimulation in cases where the nerve is only partially dissected.

Systems and methods for remote therapy and patient monitoring are provided. A method comprises contacting an outer skin surface of a patient with a contact surface of a stimulator and transmitting an electrical impulse from the stimulator transcutaneously through the outer skin surface to a nerve within the patient. Data related to parameters of the electrical impulse applied to the nerve is stored and transmitted to a remote source. The data may include duration of treatment, amplitude of the electrical impulse, compliance with a prescribed therapy regimen or other relevant data related to the therapy. The method may further include collecting patient status data, such as symptoms of a medical condition (e.g., severity of a headache) before, during and/or after stimulation. The patient status data is correlated with the treatment data to monitor compliance and/or the effectiveness of the therapy.

Provided herein are methods, devices and compositions for assessing neuromodulation efficacy based on changes in the level of one or more biomarkers in plasma or urine collected from a human subject following a renal neuromodulation procedure.

A system for recording, processing, and monitoring biosignals is provided, the system being configured to suspend data acquisition whenever an electric surgical tool or other generator of high frequency interference is in use. Such a system may protect the hardware of the system and reduce or eliminate the acquisition of distorted signals. The system of some embodiments includes an amplifier system configured to detect the presence of high frequency interference. Related methods are also disclosed.

Methods and systems useful for machine learning assisted imaging and detection of peripheral nerves comprising reflectance imaging spectroscopy. The method can be conducted label-free and in real-time.

The present invention relates to the use of a NIR fluorescent probe comprising an aza-bicycloalkane based cyclic peptide labelled with a Cy5.5 dye moiety in the fluorescence- guided surgery of pathologic regions and to an optical imaging method that comprises using this fluorescent probe for the identification and demarcation of tumor margins during the surgical resection.