Tissue monitoring apparatus and method

• US 10,405,784 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Kostic, Marko N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bloch, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US15/185,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/185 Optical shielding, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14553 specially adapted for cerebral tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/00 Measuring parameters of the user

Abstract

A tissue monitoring device includes a light emitter, a light detector, a probe, and a controller. The light emitter emits light through tissue in the subject, such as tissues in the subject'"'"'s head. The light detector detects light emitted from the light emitter and scattered by the subject'"'"'s tissue. The probe is inserted into an orifice of the subject and includes one of the light emitter and light detector. The controller communicates with the light detector and the light emitter and detects an oxygenation level of the blood in the subject'"'"'s tissue based upon measurements of the scattered light. The probe may include one or more bladders for blocking ambient light and/or for ensuring contact exists between the light detector (or emitter) and an interior surface of the subject'"'"'s orifice.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a subject'"'"'s tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a light emitter adapted to emit light through tissue in the subject'"'"'s head;

a light detector adapted to detect light emitted from the light emitter and scattered by the tissue of the subject'"'"'s head;

a probe adapted to be inserted into an orifice of the subject'"'"'s head, the probe including the light detector, and the light emitter being adjustably positionable with respect to the probe such that the light emitter may be placed at different locations on the subject'"'"'s head while the probe remains in the subject'"'"'s orifice; and

a controller in communication with the light detector and light emitter and adapted to detect an oxygenation level of blood in the subject'"'"'s head based upon measurements of the scattered light detected by the light detector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the subject'"'"'s orifice is an ear canal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the probe further includes a temperature sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first light emitter emits light having a first wavelength and the second light emitter emits light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first wavelength corresponds to a red light and the second wavelength corresponds to an infrared light.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the probe further includes a first inflatable bladder adapted to urge the light detector against an interior surface of the orifice when the first inflatable bladder is inflated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a second inflatable bladder coupled to the probe, the second inflatable bladder adapted to inflate inside of the subject'"'"'s orifice and block ambient light from reaching the light detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a sensor for determining a relative location of the probe within the orifice.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

10. An apparatus for monitoring a subject'"'"'s tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a first unit having first and second light emitters adapted to emit light through a first region of the subject'"'"'s head while the first and second light emitters are positioned outside of the subject'"'"'s first and second ear canals;

a second unit having third and fourth light emitters adapted to emit light though a second region of the subject'"'"'s head while the third and fourth light emitters are positioned outside of the subject'"'"'s first and second ear canals;

a first probe adapted to be inserted into the first ear canal of the subject, the first probe including a first light detector, a first temperature sensor, a first inflatable bladder, and a second inflatable bladder, the first light detector adapted to detect light emitted from the first and second light emitters and scattered by the first region of the subject'"'"'s head, the first inflatable bladder adapted to urge the first light detector against an interior surface of the first ear canal when the first inflatable bladder is inflated, and the second inflatable bladder adapted to inflate inside the first ear canal and block ambient light from reaching the first light detector;

a second probe adapted to be inserted into the second ear canal of the subject, the second probe including a second light detector adapted to detect light emitted from the third and fourth light emitters and scattered by the second region of the subject'"'"'s head, the second probe also including a second temperature sensor; and

a controller in communication with the first and second light detectors and adapted to detect an oxygenation level of blood in the first region of the subject'"'"'s head based upon measurements of the scattered light detected by the first light detector, to detect an oxygenation level of blood in the second region of the subject'"'"'s head based upon measurements of the scattered light detected by the second light detector, and to compare temperature readings from the first and second temperature sensors.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first probe further comprises a pressure sensor adapted to facilitate determining a relative location of the first probe within the first ear canal.