Delivery device for an acidity monitoring system

• US 20040215128A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Eerdmans, Pedro H.A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/037 Measuring oesophageal pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4211 Diagnosing or evaluating reflux
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4233 oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means

Abstract

The invention is directed to techniques for delivering a capsule for sensing acidity to a location along the esophagus via a delivery device that detects pressure variations to identify a lower esophageal sphincter (LES). More specifically, the distal end of a probe of the delivery device enters the esophagus, and extends through the esophagus into the stomach via the LES. The distal end of the probe is slowly retracted back into the esophagus and the pressure variation within a pressure sensitive chamber of the delivery device, caused by the LES, is detected to identify the location of the LES. As described, the pressure sensitive chamber can comprise a balloon filled with air or an airtight chamber formed within a distal end of the probe. In either case, the pressure sensitive chamber deforms due to the pressure of the LES thereby causing a pressure variation used to identify the location of the LES.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a probe that defines an inner lumen;

a capsule coupled to a distal end of the probe that includes a sensor;

a pressure sensitive chamber within the inner lumen of the probe; and

a pressure sensor to detect pressure variation within the pressure sensitive chamber to identify a location for delivery of the capsule.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum inlet at a proximal end of the probe that couples with a vacuum;

a vacuum outlet located at the distal end of the probe; and

a membrane to cover the vacuum outlet;

wherein the vacuum inlet is closed to form the pressure sensitive chamber within the inner lumen of the probe.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the membrane is formed from a flexible material and deforms due to outside pressure changes to cause a pressure variation within the pressure sensitive chamber.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the vacuum inlet is opened to provide suction within the inner lumen of the probe in order to remove the membrane that covers the vacuum outlet.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the suction within the lumen of the probe ruptures the membrane.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a balloon that expands to form the pressure sensitive chamber.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the inner lumen is a first lumen that is in fluid communication with the balloon and further comprising a second lumen that includes a vacuum inlet at a proximal end of the second lumen and a vacuum outlet at the distal end of the second lumen.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a display at a proximal end of the device to display the pressure variations detected by the pressure sensor.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the display comprises one of a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a light emitting diodes (LED) display.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the capsule is detachable from the probe.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum inlet that couples to a vacuum to provide suction to a vacuum outlet to draw a portion of esophageal tissue into a void of the capsule; and

an anchor mechanism to penetrate the portion of esophageal tissue in the void of the capsule in order to anchor the capsule to the esophageal tissue.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the anchor mechanism comprises a locking pin that advances through the esophageal tissue to anchor the capsule to the esophageal tissue.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a switch to switch the pressure sensor on.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a valve that opens and closes a vacuum inlet of the device.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an acidity sensor to detect the acidity of a surrounding location.

16. A method comprising:

detecting a pressure variation within a pressure sensitive chamber of a probe;

providing suction to a tissue site of a patient to draw a portion of the tissue site into a void of a capsule coupled to a distal end of the probe in response to detecting the pressure variation;

anchoring the capsule to the tissue site; and

detaching the capsule from the probe.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the capsule includes a sensor and further comprising:

measuring at least one parameter of the tissue site via the sensor of the capsule; and

transmitting the measured parameters from the capsule to a receiver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises an acidity sensor and the parameter comprises pH information.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming the pressure sensitive chamber for detecting pressure variations.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein forming a pressure sensitive chamber comprises filling a balloon with air to form the pressure sensitive chamber.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the balloon deforms due to outside pressure changes to cause the detected pressure variation.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the pressure variation to a user.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting a pressure variation within a pressure sensitive chamber comprises detecting a pressure variation due transitioning from a stomach to an esophagus via a lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

28. The method of claim 16, wherein anchoring the capsule to the tissue site comprises advancing a locking pin through the portion of the tissue site in the void of the capsule.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the tissue site comprises the esophagus.

20. The method of claim 20, wherein the probe has a vacuum outlet and a vacuum inlet, the vacuum outlet being covered by a membrane, and forming the pressure sensitive chamber comprises closing the vacuum inlet.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the membrane is formed from a flexible material and deforms due to outside pressure changes to cause the detected pressure variation.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

opening the vacuum inlet to provide suction within the probe; and

removing the membrane from the vacuum outlet via the suction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein removing the membrane comprises rupturing the membrane.