Neural locating method

1. A method of locating a nerve within an intracorporeal space, the method comprising:

exploring an intracorporeal space of a subject with a stimulator;

wherein the stimulator is shaped as an elongated cylinder and includes:

a distal end portion that tapers to a tip;

a central axis intersecting the tip and extending through a center of the elongated cylinder;

a first electrode disposed in a first location at the tip and on the central axis; and

at least one second electrode that is spaced apart from the first electrode and radially offset from the central axis in a second location;

periodically applying a first electrical stimulus from the first electrode while the stimulator is exploring the intracorporeal space;

detecting a mechanical response of a muscle innervated by a nerve within the intracorporeal space to the first electrical stimulus with a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to the mechanical response of the muscle;

after detecting the mechanical response, applying a locating electrical stimulus from the at least one second electrode at a plurality of locations within the intracorporeal space;

monitoring a magnitude of the mechanical response of the muscle to the locating electrical stimulus at the second location;

determining a distance between the nerve and the second location from a) the magnitude of the mechanical response of the muscle to the locating electrical stimulus, and from b) a magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus without using an electromyography signal corresponding to an electrical potential of the muscle and skin of the subject; and

determining a location of the nerve by triangulating the location from the determined distance at each of the plurality of locations to thereby precisely guide the stimulator within the intracorporeal space without contacting the nerve.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the stimulator such that the at least one second electrode rotates through each of the plurality of locations; and

wherein applying the locating electrical stimulus comprises applying the locating electrical stimulus from the at least one second electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the distance between the nerve and each of the plurality of locations includes:

determining a minimum magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus that is needed to induce the mechanical response of the muscle at each of the plurality of locations; and

determining the distance to the nerve at each of the plurality of locations from the determined minimum magnitude at the respective one of the plurality of locations.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a relative direction between the stimulator and the triangulated location of the nerve.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a position of the stimulator within the intracorporeal treatment area; and

maintaining a virtual three-dimensional model of the nerve within a virtual workspace using the triangulated location of the nerve and the monitored position of the stimulator.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising identifying a portion of the virtual workspace as not containing the nerve in response to the applied first electrical stimulus.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations is less than a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising preventing the stimulator from advancing toward the triangulated location of the nerve.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the muscle is a first muscle and the nerve is a first nerve;

the method further comprising:

monitoring a magnitude of a mechanical response of a second muscle to the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations;

determining a distance between a second nerve and each of the plurality of locations from the magnitude of the mechanical response of the second muscle to the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations, and from a magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus provided at each of the plurality of locations; and

determining a location of the second nerve by triangulating the location of the second nerve from the determined distance at each of the plurality of locations.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus to a threshold following a detected mechanical response of the muscle to the first electrical stimulus; and

applying the locating electrical stimulus only if the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus is below the threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising reducing the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus if the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus is above the threshold.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a position of the single conical end of the stimulator;

estimating a distance between the monitored position and the nerve;

comparing the estimated distance to a threshold distance; and

selecting a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus to not induce the mechanical response of a muscle if the estimated distance is greater than the threshold distance.

13. A method of locating a nerve within an intracorporeal space, the method comprising:

exploring the intracorporeal space with a stimulator;

wherein the stimulator is shaped as an elongated cylinder and includes:

a distal end portion that tapers to a tip;

a central axis intersecting the tip and extending through a center of the elongated cylinder;

a first electrode disposed in a first location at the tip and on the central axis; and

a plurality of second electrodes that are each spaced apart from one another and radially offset from the central axis in a respective one of a plurality of locations;

periodically applying a first electrical stimulus from the first electrode while the stimulator is exploring the intracorporeal space;

detecting a mechanical response of a muscle innervated by a nerve to the first electrical stimulus with a non-invasive mechanical sensor configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to the monitored mechanical response of the muscle;

after detecting the mechanical response, applying a locating electrical stimulus from each of the plurality of second electrodes;

monitoring a magnitude of the mechanical response of the muscle to the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations;

determining a minimum magnitude of the electrical stimulus that is needed to induce the mechanical response of the muscle at each of the plurality of locations; and

determining a location of the nerve by triangulating the location of the nerve from the determined minimum magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations without using an electromyography signal corresponding to an electrical potential of the muscle and skin of the subject to thereby precisely guide the stimulator within the intracorporeal space without contacting the nerve.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising rotating the stimulator such that each of the plurality of second electrodes rotates through each of the plurality of locations; and

wherein applying the locating electrical stimulus comprises applying the locating electrical stimulus from the each of the plurality of second electrodes.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising displaying a relative direction between the stimulator and the triangulated location of the nerve.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein triangulating the location of the nerve from the determined minimum magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations includes determining a distance between the nerve and each of the plurality of locations from the determined minimum magnitude at each of the plurality of locations;

the method further comprising:

monitoring a position of the stimulator within the intracorporeal space; and

maintaining a virtual three-dimensional model of the nerve within a virtual workspace using the triangulated location of the nerve and the monitored position of the stimulator.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the magnitude of the locating electrical stimulus at each of the plurality of locations is less than a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising comparing a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus to a threshold following a detected mechanical response of the muscle to the first electrical stimulus; and

applying the locating electrical stimulus only if the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus is below the threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising reducing the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus if the magnitude of the first electrical stimulus is above the threshold.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising monitoring a position of the single conical end of the stimulator;

estimating a distance between the monitored position and the nerve;

comparing the estimated distance to a threshold distance; and

selecting a magnitude of the first electrical stimulus to not induce the mechanical response of a muscle if the estimated distance is greater than the threshold distance.