Devices for fixing a sendor in a lumen

• US 20050154321A1
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Penner, Abraham, Wolinsky, Lone, Ben-Yoseph, Alon
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6886 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

Apparatus for positioning at least one sensor in a body lumen, the apparatus including a fixation element, a sensor, and a connecting element that connects the sensor to the fixation element, the connecting element extending at least partially into the lumen so that the sensor is located radially inward from a wall of the lumen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning at least one sensor in a body lumen, the lumen having a wall, the apparatus comprising:

a fixation element;

a first sensor; and

a first connecting element connecting the first sensor to the fixation element, the first connecting element extending at least partially into the lumen so that the first sensor is located radially inward from the lumen wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is located at least approximately 0.05 mm away from the lumen wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first sensor is located less than approximately 0.8 r away from the lumen wall, wherein r represents the lumen radius.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is configured as one of a stent, a coil, a wing and a hook.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body lumen is a component of a vascular system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor measures at least one of blood pressure, blood temperature and blood composition.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connecting element extends from, or is otherwise connected to, the fixation element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second connecting element connecting the first sensor to the fixation element.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the first connecting element at least partially extending in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the lumen, and the second connecting element extending at least partially in a second direction along the longitudinal lumen axis that is substantially opposite the first direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor and a second connecting element, the second connecting element connecting the second sensor to the fixation element, the second connecting element extending at least partially into the lumen so that the second sensor is located radially inward from the lumen wall, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned such that they are other than co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the lumen.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second sensors each measure at least one of blood pressure, blood temperature and blood composition.

12. An apparatus for positioning at least one sensor in a body lumen, comprising:

a fixation element configured for self-anchoring within the lumen;

a sensor; and

means for connecting the sensor to the fixation element so that the sensor is positioned radially inward from a wall of the lumen.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor is positioned at least 0.05 mm away from the lumen wall and less than 0.8 r away from the lumen wall, wherein r is the radius of the lumen.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fixation element is configured as one of a stent, a coil, a wing and a hook, and wherein the sensor measures at least one of blood pressure, blood temperature and blood composition.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, the connecting means comprising first and second struts extending from, or otherwise connected to, the fixation element.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the first strut at least partially extending in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the lumen, and the second strut extending at least partially in a second direction along the longitudinal lumen axis that is substantially opposite the first direction.

17. An apparatus for positioning two or more sensors within a body lumen, comprising:

a fixation element configured for self-anchoring within a lumen;

a first sensor coupled with the fixation element, wherein the first sensor is positioned at least 0.05 mm inwardly from a wall of the lumen and less than 0.8 r inwardly away from the wall of the lumen, wherein r is the radius of the lumen; and

a second sensor coupled with the fixation element and the first sensor, wherein the second sensor is positioned at least 0.05 mm inwardly from a wall of the lumen and less than 0.8 r inwardly away from the wall of the lumen;

wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned such that they are other than co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the lumen.