Patents Represented by Attorney Kurt Kinghorn, Esq.
  • Patent number: 7079882
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for quantifying nerve and neural-muscular integrity related to pelvic organs or pelvic floor functions. In one embodiment, the invention is a method and device to measure muscle or nerve activity in the pelvis or pelvic floor. In a modification of this embodiment, the invention includes means for inducing an efferent nerve signal in the spinal cord or sacral nerves and then measuring the resulting nerve activity of the nerves of the pelvic floor region. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes placing a probe in the anal canal or vagina, the probe having proximal recording electrodes along its outer surface. In one possible embodiment, the probe has a distensible sheath having recording electrodes located on its outside surface. In another embodiment, the probe has an inflatable balloon at its distal end with recording electrodes located on the outside surface of the inflatable balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventor: Richard Schmidt