Flow sensor device for endoscopic third ventriculostomy

• US 20040215067A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kaemmerer, William F., Carney, James K., Stiger, Mark L., Yamasaki, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/423,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215067A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3482 inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3492 against the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/028 by thermo-dilution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/6845 Micromachined devices

Abstract

An ETV procedure includes forming a burr hole in a human skull; passing an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) probe through the burr hole; fenestrating the floor of the third ventricle with the ETV probe to form an opening in the floor; and measuring a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with a flow sensor of the ETV probe. The ETV procedure further includes deploying a membrane eyelet into the opening; and measuring a flow of CSF through the opening with a flow sensor of the membrane eyelet.

Claims

1. An endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) probe comprising:

a shaft; and

a flow sensor mounted on said shaft.

2. The ETV probe of claim 1 wherein said probe is used for forming an opening in the floor of the third ventricle.

3. The ETV probe of claim 2 wherein said flow sensor is for measuring a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through said opening.

4. The ETV probe of claim 1 wherein said flow sensor comprises a hot wire anemometer flow sensor.

5. The ETV probe of claim 1 wherein said flow sensor comprises a heat source, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor.

6. The ETV probe of claim 5 wherein said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor are on opposite sides of said heat source.

7. The ETV probe of claim 5 wherein a temperature differential between a temperature measured by said first temperature sensor and a temperature measured by said second temperature sensor is equal to or greater than a set point temperature differential.

8. The ETV probe of claim 7 said temperature differential indicates a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around said ETV probe.

9. The ETV probe of claim 5 wherein a temperature differential between a temperature measured by said first temperature sensor and a temperature measured by said second temperature sensor is less than a set point temperature differential.

10. The ETV probe of claim 9 said temperature differential indicates stasis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around said ETV probe.

11. A method comprising:

forming a burr hole in a human skull;

passing an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) probe through said burr hole;

fenestrating the floor of the third ventricle with said ETV probe; and

measuring a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with a flow sensor of said ETV probe.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said flow indicates whether said fenestrating was successful or not.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a flow of CSF is measured during said measuring, said method further comprising determining that said floor was fenestrated during said fenestrating.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein no flow of CSF is measured during said measuring, said method further comprising determining that said floor was not fenestrated during said fenestrating.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising repeating said fenestration upon said determining that said floor was not fenestrated.

16. A method comprising:

fenestrating the floor of the third ventricle with an endoscopic third ventriculostomy probe to form an opening in said floor; and

deploying a membrane eyelet into said opening.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising measuring a flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through said opening with a flow sensor of said membrane eyelet.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said measuring a flow comprises determining a temperature differential between a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor of said flow sensor.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said measuring a flow comprises determining a movement of a miniature moveable element of said flow sensor.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said deploying comprises sandwiching said floor between a first anchor section and a second anchor section of said membrane eyelet.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising maintaining the patency of said opening with a waist section of said membrane eyelet.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein said deploying a membrane eyelet comprises radially expanding said membrane eyelet.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein said radially expanding is performed with a dilation balloon.

24. A membrane eyelet comprising:

a waist section;

a first anchor section coupled to said waist section;

a second anchor section coupled to said waist section; and

a flow sensor coupled to said waist section, said first anchor section and/or said second anchor section.

25. The membrane eyelet of claim 24 wherein said flow sensor comprises a hot wire anemometer flow sensor.

26. The membrane eyelet of claim 24 wherein said flow sensor comprises a MEMS flow sensor.

27. The membrane eyelet of claim 24 wherein said flow sensor comprises:

a heat source;

a first temperature sensor coupled to said heat source; and

a second temperature sensor coupled to said heat source.

28. The membrane eyelet of claim 27 wherein said flow sensor further comprises a thermal circuit for measuring a temperature differential between said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor.

29. The membrane eyelet of claim 28 wherein said thermal circuit comprises:

a transmitter/receiver;

a power supply coupled to said transmitter/receiver; and

a temperature measurement circuit coupled to said transmitter/receiver.

30. The membrane eyelet of claim 29 wherein said power supply is coupled to said heat source.

31. The membrane eyelet of claim 29 wherein said temperature measurement circuit is coupled to said first temperature sensor and said second temperature circuit.

32. The membrane eyelet of claim 24 wherein said flow sensor comprises:

a miniature moveable element; and

a motion sensor coupled to said miniature moveable element.

33. The membrane eyelet of claim 32 wherein said flow sensor further comprises a motion circuit coupled to said motion sensor.

34. The membrane eyelet of claim 33 wherein said motion circuit comprises:

a transmitter/receiver; and

a motion measurement circuit coupled to said transmitter/receiver.

35. The membrane eyelet of claim 34 wherein said motion circuit further comprises a power supply coupled to said motion measurement circuit.

36. The membrane eyelet of claim 34 wherein said motion measurement circuit is coupled to said motion sensor.