Apparatus for monitoring the neuro-muscular reaction of a patient

Claim 1

An apparatus (101) for checking a patient's (102) neuro-muscular reaction which may for example be used, for monitoring curarization and/or decurarization comprising: stimulator means (103) including a pulse generator and electrodes (105) connected to the generator and appliable to a patient (102) at a chosen motor nerve such as the cubital nerve of the forearm of a patient, sensor means (3) for detecting the muscular response to be monitored and comprising a stress gauge and means for adapting the sensor to a patient thumb (4), analyzer means (109) for analysing a reaction signal emitted by the sensor (3), which stimulator 103 and analyzer 109 comprise means for emitting different stimulations and analyzing the responses to these different stimulations, and, complementary means (125, 126 and 127) for informing the analyzer (109) by the stimulator (103) of the times when each of the stimulations are emitted, and means (128) which taking into account this information from said complementary means and the delay between the emission of a stimulation and reception of the corresponding reaction signal, distinguishes in the signal picked up, the periods when the possible reaction signals occur from the other periods during which only parasite signals are picked up, and further comprising a holding device consisting of a handle (1) for maintaining in one end said sensor means (3) in a position for detecting the adduction movement of a patients thumb (4) said sensor includes a piston sliding with respect to a body and adapted to be clenched in the hand of the patient in the manner of a handle, being characterized in that the said piston (35) of said sensor means (3) is associated with said handle so as to slide substantially radially to the axis of said handle so that, whatever the dimensions of the patient's hand, said piston (35) of said sensor means can be actuated by the first phalanx (10) of the thumb (4) of the hand (5) gripping said handle and in that: said handle is associated with at least one stop (7) disposed so as to provide, by cooperating with the patient's hand and forearm, a reference for the positioning of the hand (5) along the longitudinal axis (8) of the handle, (6) and the device includes at least one means (9) for adjusting, substantially along the axis (8) of said handle (6), the relative position of the elements formed by said stop (7) and said sensor means (3).

Claim 2

An apparatus (101) for checking a patient's (102) neuro-muscular reaction which may for example be used, for monitoring curarization and/or decurarization comprising: stimulator means (103) including a pulse generator and electrodes (105) connected to the generator and appliable to a patient (102) at a chosen motor nerve such as the cubital nerve of the forearm of a patient, sensor means (3) for detecting the muscular response to be monitored and comprising a stress gauge and means for adapting the sensor to a patient thumb (4), analyzer means (109) for analysing a reaction signal emitted by the sensor (3), which stimulator 103 and analyzer 109 comprise means for emitting different stimulations and analyzing the responses to these different stimulations, and, complementary means (125, 126 and 127) for informing the analyzer (109) by the stimulator (103) of the times when each of the stimulations are emitted, and means (128) which taking into account this information from said complementary means and the delay between the emission of a stimulation and reception of the corresponding reaction signal, distinguishes in the signal picked up, the periods when the possible reaction signals occur from the other periods during which only parasite signals are picked up, and further comprising a holding device consisting of a handle (1) for maintaining in one end said sensor means (3) in a position for detecting the adduction movement of a patients thumb (4) said sensor includes a piston sliding with respect to a body and adapted to be clenched in the hand of the patient in the manner of a handle, being characterized in that the said piston (35) of said sensor means (3) is associated with said handle so as to slide substantially radially to the axis of said handle so that, whatever the dimensions of the patient's hand, said piston (35) of said sensor means can be actuated by the first phalanx (10) of the thumb (4) of the hand (5) gripping said handle and in that: said handle is associated with at least one stop (7) disposed so as to provide, by cooperating with the patient's hand and forearm, a reference for the positioning of the hand (5) along the longitudinal axis (8) of the handle, (6) and the device includes at least one means (9) for adjusting, substantially along the axis (8) of said handle (6), the relative position of the elements formed by said stop (7) and said sensor means (3).