Access devices for measuring temperature of a patient
First Claim
1. A vascular access device for measuring temperature of a temperature medium of a patient, comprising:
- an elongated access device body sized to fit within a body vessel and including a proximal and a distal end, an outer wall, and at least one lumen within the outer wall comprising a thermal mass that can flow past a predetermined location on the device body between the proximal and distal ends;
a temperature sensor supported by the device body at the predetermined location and adjacent the outer wall thereof; and
an insulating gap formed in the access device adjacent to and inward from the temperature sensor and shaped to surround the temperature sensor on an inner side thereof so as to isolate the temperature sensor from the remainder of the device body including the lumen containing the thermal mass.
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Abstract
An access device such as a catheter, or introducer, or any combination of the above is provided. Within the access device is at least one lumen, channel or instrument that carries or itself is a thermally active mass, such as infusion fluids, control wires, etc. A temperature sensor such as a thermistor is secured to the access device in order to measure the temperature of a temperature medium, typically blood, in a patient. Various insulating lumens, insulating members and mounting and extrusion configurations are provided by the invention to insulate the temperature sensor thermally from the thermal mass, which might otherwise degrade the accuracy of the temperature measurement. The invention also provides an arrangement whereby the temperature sensor is connected to an external monitor for display of the patient'"'"'s temperature.
50 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vascular access device for measuring temperature of a temperature medium of a patient, comprising:
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an elongated access device body sized to fit within a body vessel and including a proximal and a distal end, an outer wall, and at least one lumen within the outer wall comprising a thermal mass that can flow past a predetermined location on the device body between the proximal and distal ends;
a temperature sensor supported by the device body at the predetermined location and adjacent the outer wall thereof; and
an insulating gap formed in the access device adjacent to and inward from the temperature sensor and shaped to surround the temperature sensor on an inner side thereof so as to isolate the temperature sensor from the remainder of the device body including the lumen containing the thermal mass. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
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14. A vascular access device for measuring temperature of a temperature medium of a patient, comprising:
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an elongated access device body sized to fit within a body vessel and including a proximal and a distal end, an outer wall, and at least one lumen within the outer wall comprising a thermal mass past a predetermined location on the device body between the proximal and distal ends, and an opening in the outerwall at the predetermined location;
a flexible elongated member provided in the device body that extends across the opening in the outer wall; and
a temperature sensor mounted within the flexible elongated member; and
wherein the flexible elongated member is movable within the device body such that the portion in which the temperature sensor is mounted may be displaced out of the opening thus creating an insulating gap between the temperature sensor and the lumen containing the thermal mass.
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17. A device for measuring temperature of a temperature medium of a patient, comprising:
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an extruded, elongated access device body sized to fit within a body vessel and including a proximal and a distal end, an outer wall, and a thermal mass at a predetermined location on the device body between the proximal and distal ends;
a temperature sensor located at the predetermined location on the device body; and
an insulating structure of a different material than the device body and co-extruded with the device body that extends between the temperature sensor and the thermal mass.
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Specification