A nerve repair device includes a resilient, elongated implant, and transverse pins for retaining the implant fixedly within the ends of the severed nerve. A sharp tip extends longitudinally from at least one end of the elongated implant, and aids in the insertion of the implant longitudinally through the ends of the severed nerve between the fascicle bundles. The severed ends are retained in close approximation for reconnection.

A system is provided for stimulating and measuring performance of nerves which utilizes a novel system of electrodes. A large moistened absorbent pad-type electrode is used to provide one electrical contact with the body. A small moistened absorbent pad-type electrode in a handheld pencil-like configuration is used to provide a second, more targeted electrical contact with the body. By placing the large electrode along or near the spine, the pencil-like electrode may be used to excite and measure nerves on opposite sides of the body. In this manner, the electrical contact made by the large electrode is a constant during the measurement, both as to distance from the tested nerve site, and as to electrical conduction to the body. This arrangement provides more reliable and repeatable measurements. It also avoids patient discomfort associated with needle-like probes, tape-on probes, and other probes which involve discomfort. In another aspect of the invention, a galvanic skin response measurement system is incorporated into the nerve performance measurement system and is used to determine threshold nerve sensing events, rather than relying upon oral input from the patient. In this way, actual events are detected which do not rely for their accuracy upon the truthfulness of the patient. In another aspect of the present invention, the 2000 Hz signal used to stimulate the type A-Beta nerves is amplitude modulated with an adjustable sine wave signal in the range of about 5 Hz to about 700 Hz in order to obtain increased patient sensitivity to the combined signal.