US 11,730,934 B2
Apparatus for dilating bodily tissue and for monitoring neural activity in the dilated bodily tissue
Lawrence M. Boyd, Durham, NC (US); Mark W. Bender, Gainesville, FL (US); and Matthew Penny, Holly Springs, NC (US)
Assigned to SPINE WAVE, INC., Shelton, CT (US)
Filed by SPINE WAVE, INC., Shelton, CT (US)
Filed on May 23, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/420,651.
Application 16/420,651 is a division of application No. 14/342,984, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2012/054051, filed on Sep. 7, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/532,668, filed on Sep. 9, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2019/0307998 A1, Oct. 10, 2019
Int. Cl. A61M 29/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61B 5/296 (2021.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 29/00 (2013.01) [A61B 5/296 (2021.01); A61B 5/4893 (2013.01); A61B 90/02 (2016.02); A61M 2025/0008 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0175 (2013.01); A61M 2210/1003 (2013.01); A61M 2230/08 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for monitoring neural activity in bodily tissue and for dilating the monitored tissue, said system comprising:
a first dilator having a first tubular body of electrically-insulative material, said tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a plurality of axially extending generally straight open channels formed through said first tubular body about a circumference thereof and extending from said proximal end towards said distal end, said first tubular body further having at least one transverse channel in communication with a distal terminus of at least one said axially extending channel and through said tubular body, said at least one transverse channel having a circumferential expanse greater than a circumferential extent of said at least one axially extending channel, said circumferential expanse extending only transversally from the at least one axially extending channel and extending only a limited extent so as to not circumscribe said tubular body; and,
a probe formed to be sequentially introduced into each of said axially extending channels, said at least one transverse channel providing for enhanced signal transmission from said probe when disposed in said at least one axially extending channel and in axial alignment with said at least one transverse channel.