Portable self-contained instrument for the measurement of nerve resistance of a patient

Claim 1

A portable, self-contained instrument for the measurement of nerve resistance of a patient, comprising: a hollow elongated housing; stimulator circuit means disposed in said housing; receptor circuit means disposed in said housing; stimulator connection means, connected to said stimulator circuit means, extending from said housing; receptor connection means, connected to said receptor circuit means, extending from said housing; display means; and stimulator circuit activator means; wherein, when said stimulator connection means are connected to stimulator electrodes mounted at a first position on said patient, and said receptor connection means are connected to receptor electrodes, mounted at a second position on said patient, said first position being spaced from said second position, each said first and second positions being disposed on a nerve of said patient, a suspected damaged portion of said nerve being between said first and second positions, and said stimulator circuit activator means is activated, a stimulator pulse is applied, via said stimulator connection means and said stimulator electrodes, to said nerve at said first position, and is transmitted along said nerve from said first position to said second position, and is received at said second position by said receptor circuit, via said receptor electrodes and said receptor connector means, the time of travel of said pulse from said first position to said second position being measured and displayed on said display means to provide a measure of the resistance of said nerve; wherein said stimulator connection means comprise a first conductive stimulator lead for connection to a positive stimulator electrode and a second conductive stimulator lead for connection to a negative stimulator electrode; and wherein said receptor connection means comprise a first conductive receptor lead for connections to a positive receptor electrode, a second conductive receptor lead for connection to a negative receptor electrode and a third conductive receptor lead for connection to a neutral receptor electrode; and wherein said stimulator circuit means comprises a pulse generator having first output means connected to said conductive stimulator leads, and second output means; and including a first battery providing power to said pulse generator; said stimulator circuit activation means comprising a switch connecting said first battery to said stimulator circuit means; and wherein said receptor circuit means comprises a pulse sensor arrangement having first output means connected to said conductive receptor leads and second output means; and further including a second battery providing power to said pulse sensor arrangement.