Garment to facilitate needle electrode placement for intraoperative monitoring

1. A garment to facilitate an implantation of needle electronics for intraoperative monitoring during a surgical procedure comprising:

a fabric having a thickness separating a skin surface adapted to reside proximate to the skin of a patient and a top surface opposite the skin surface;

at least one tube residing in the fabric between the skin surface and the top surface, the tube having a cover proximate the skin surface;

an air bladder proximate the cover such that inflating the air bladder applies pressure to the cover and is adapted to apply pressure to a wound to facilitate clotting; and

a needle electrode, whereby

the tube is adapted to receive the needle electrode and the needle electrode is adapted to be inserted through the skin of the patient such that the needle electrode will be positioned proximate a nerve to be monitored.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the tube further comprises an actuator and a stop wherein the actuator is coupled to the needle electrode and is slidingly coupled to the tube, the actuator operatively coupled to engage the stop.

3. The garment of claim 2 wherein the actuator is a plunger.

4. The garment of claim 1 comprising a retractor coupled to the needle electrode and adapted to retract the needle electrode from a patient.

5. The garment of claim 3 further comprising an actuator coupled to the needle electrode and slidingly coupled to the tube and a port in fluid communication with an interior of the tube between the plunger and the cover, wherein the actuator comprises a plunger and a compression spring, wherein pressure in the interior of the tube may be decreased through the port to reduce the pressure such that the actuator advances the needle electrode and pressure in the interior of the tube may be increased through the port to retract the needle electrode.

6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the garment is selected from a group of garments consisting of: a glove, a wrist band, a sleeve, a shirt, a legging, a pair of pants, a cap, a body suit, or a combination thereof.

7. The garment of claim 6 wherein the fabric is selected from a group of fabrics consisting of: gauze, foam, rubber, wraps, or cloth.

8. The garment of claim 1 wherein the cover has a convexly curved surface adapted to apply pressure to a wound.

9. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a diaphragm residing in the tube that forms a chamber in which the air bladder expands when inflated.

10. The garment of claim 9 wherein the air bladder causes the cover to form a convexly curved surface.

11. The garment of claim 1 wherein the tube is formed of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of a gel material or a rubber material.

12. The garment of claim 1 further comprising a cartridge contained in the tube.

13. The garment of claim 12 wherein the cartridge comprises the cover and a diaphragm defining a chamber that is filled with a penetrable material.

14. The garment of claim 2 wherein the needle electrode comprises a surface to cooperatively engage the stop.

15. The garment of claim 14 wherein the surface is selected from a group of surfaces consisting of: a flanged surface or a flared surface.

16. A garment to facilitate an implantation of needle electrodes for intraoperative monitoring during a surgical procedure comprising:

a fabric having a thickness separating a skin surface adapted to reside proximate to the skin of a patient and a top surface opposite the skin surface;

at least one tube residing in the fabric between the skin surface and the top surface, the tube having a cover proximate the skin surface;

means for applying pressure to the cover using a gas source such that inflating the means for applying pressure with a gas from the gas source is adapted to cause the cover to apply pressure to a wound to facilitate clotting;

a needle electrode;

means for advancing the needle electrode, and

means for retracting the needle electrode, whereby

the tube is adapted to be inserted through the skin of the patient such that the needle electrode will be positioned proximate a nerve to be monitored.

17. The garment of claim 16 wherein the means for advancing the needle electrode comprises a plunger, a compression spring, and a port in fluid communication with the tube to bleed pressure from the tube whereby the spring expands as pressure decreases to advance the needle electrode.

18. The garment of claim 17 wherein the means for retracting comprises the port in fluid communication with a fluid supply to increase pressure in the tube and compress the spring and retract the needle electrode.

19. The garment of claim 16 wherein the means for applying pressure comprises an air bladder.

20. A method of placing at least one electrode for intraoperative monitoring on a patient comprising the steps of:

providing a garment with at least one electrode and at least one air bladder, wherein the at least one electrode is a needle electrode adapted to extend from the garment and pierce skin of a patient and the at least one air bladder is located in the garment proximal where the needle electrode extends from the garment;

arranging the garment on the patient such that the at least one electrode is oriented for use in an intraoperative monitoring procedure and extending the needle electrode;

performing the intraoperative monitoring procedure;

retracting the needle electrode from the patient;

inflating the air bladder to apply pressure where the needle electrode pierced the skin to facilitate clotting; and

removing the garment.