Catheters with fluorescent temperature sensors
First Claim
1. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
- a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the console comprising a light source for transmitting light through the fiber-optic cable and exciting the fluorescent material, the console further comprising means for generating a temperature signal from the light emitted by the excited fluorescent material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter with a fluorescent temperature sensor is shown and described. The catheter includes a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen. A distal end of the fiber-optic cable is coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end of the fiber-optic cable is connected to a console. The console includes a light source for transmitting light through the fiber-optic cable for exciting the fluorescent material. The console further includes a photo multiplier tube for converting light emitted by the excited fluorescent material to a plurality of analogue voltage signals. The console further includes a digital oscilloscope linked to the photo multiplier tube for converting the plurality of analogue voltage signals to at least one digital signal. The console further includes a processor linked to the digital oscilloscope for converting the at least one digital signal to a temperature value for the distal end of the fiber-optic cable.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the console comprising a light source for transmitting light through the fiber-optic cable and exciting the fluorescent material, the console further comprising means for generating a temperature signal from the light emitted by the excited fluorescent material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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12-19. -19. (canceled)
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34. (canceled)
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35. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen being connected to a second lumen which receives a guide wire.
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36. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end connected to a reflecting surface and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen being connected to a balloon, the balloon surrounding the distal end of the fiber-optic cable and the reflecting surface, the balloon comprising an interior surface at least partially coated with fluorescent material, the console comprising a light source for transmitting light through the fiber-optic cable to the distal end thereof, the reflecting surface for reflecting light transmitted through the fiber-optic cable to the interior surface of the balloon thereby exciting the fluorescent material coated thereon and causing fluoresced light to be transmitted back from the interior surface of the balloon to the reflecting surface, through fiber-optic cable to the console, the console measuring a lifetime of the fluoresced light and converting the lifetime to a temperature of the balloon.
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37. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a guide wire passing through the lumen, at least one fiber-optic cable annularly spaced between the guide wire and the lumen, the at least one fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen being retractable with respect to the guide wire and the at least one fiber-optic cable, the at least one fiber-optic cable being biased radially outwardly from the guide wire so that when the lumen is retracted, the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable will move away from the guide wire, the console comprising a light source for transmitting light through the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable thereby exciting the fluorescent material and causing fluoresced light to be transmitted back through the at least one fiber-optic cable to the console, the console measuring a lifetime of the fluoresced light from the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and converting the lifetime to a temperature of the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen comprising a distal end connected to a balloon, the lumen further comprising an outer surface, the balloon comprising an outer surface, at least one fiber-optic cable extending along the outer surface of the lumen and comprising a distal end disposed on the outer surface of the balloon, the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable being coated with a fluorescent material, the at least one fiber-optic cable further comprising a proximal end connected to a console, the console comprising a light source for transmitting light through the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable thereby exciting the fluorescent material and causing fluoresced light to be transmitted back through the at least one fiber-optic cable to the console, the console measuring a lifetime of the fluoresced light from the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable and converting the lifetime to a temperature of the distal end of the at least one fiber-optic cable. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen comprising a distal end section that at least partially surrounds the distal end of the fiber-optic cable, a portion of the distal end section being axially received in a coil spring, the distal end section of the lumen further comprising a plurality of slits disposed adjacent to the distal end of the fiber-optic cable.
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42. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen comprising a distal end section that at least partially surrounds the distal end of the fiber-optic cable, a portion of the distal end section being axially received in a coil spring, the lumen further comprising a compressible section allowing the lumen to assume a retracted position and an extended position, the distal end section of the lumen further comprising a side opening, the distal end of the fiber-optic cable being aligned with the side opening and extending through the side opening when the lumen is in the retracted position, the distal end of the fiber-optic cable being disposed within the lumen when the lumen is in the extended position. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen comprising a distal end section that at least partially surrounds the distal end of the fiber-optic cable, a portion of the distal end section being axially received in a coil spring, the distal end section of the lumen further comprising a side opening, the distal end of the fiber-optic cable extending through the side opening, the lumen passing through a retractable sheath, the sheath covering the distal end of the fiber-optic cable, upon retraction of the sheath, the distal end of the fiber-optic cable being biased radially outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A catheter temperature sensor comprising:
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a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end connected to a console, the lumen comprising a distal end section that at least partially surrounds the distal end of the fiber-optic cable, a portion of the distal end section being axially received in a coil spring, the distal end section of the lumen further comprises a side opening, the distal end of the fiber-optic cable extending through the side opening, an exterior surface of the lumen comprises a groove for accommodating the distal end of the fiber-optic cable. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A method for locating inflamed plaque in an artery, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter, the catheter comprising a lumen, a fiber-optic cable that extends through the lumen, the fiber-optic cable comprising a distal end coated with a fluorescent material and a proximal end, inserting the catheter into the artery;
for a first predetermined time period, transmitting light through the fiber-optic cable to the fluorescent material thereby exciting the fluorescent material and causing it to fluoresce;
stopping the transmission of light through the fiber-optic cable;
for a second predetermined time period, receiving fluoresced light emitted by the excited fluorescent material through the fiber-optic cable at the proximal end of the fiber-optic cable;
determining a lifetime for the fluoresced light received during the second predetermined time period;
converting the lifetime to a temperature value for the artery at the location of the distal end of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification