Intracorporeal impedance and leak monitoring device

• US 20050240093A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: DeArmond, Daniel T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02042 Determining blood loss or bleeding, e.g. during a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/413 Monitoring transplanted tissue or organ, e.g. for possible rejection reactions after a transplant

Abstract

The system and method may measure and monitor physiological changes in a body. In some embodiments, the system and method may measure the impedance at a site in the body. In some embodiments, the system and method identify, quantify, and localize leaks from a site following surgery. In an embodiment, the system includes a flexible conduit with one or more sensors. A flexible conduit shape may be selected to facilitate monitoring of physiological changes in a body and/or detection of leaks at a desired site. In an embodiment, contrast solution may be ingested by, injected in, and/or delivered to a patient. If a leak is present at a site, salt contrast solution may leak from a site and be detected by sensors in a flexible conduit.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A physiological change monitoring system comprising:

a flexible conduit, wherein the flexible conduit is configured to be positionable in an opening in a body during use;

one or more sensors disposed in the flexible conduit, wherein at least one sensor is configured to measure impedance in the opening in the body; and

a measurement determining unit coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the measurement determining unit is configured to determine the impedance.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the impedance indicates the presence of a leak proximate an organ.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the flexible conduit is positionable proximate an organ, and wherein at least one sensor directly measures impedance of the organ.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the flexible conduit is further configured such that fluid in the conduit flows through one or more channels.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one channel comprises a groove.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one channel is corrugated.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a portion of a cross sectional area of the flexible conduit is convex.

35. The system of claim 11, wherein at least two sensors are in substantially direct contact with an organ.

36. The system of claim 11, wherein the opening in the body is proximate an esophagus.

37. The system of claim 11, wherein the opening in the body is proximate is a lung.

38. The system of claim 11, wherein the opening in the body is proximate a portion of a gastrointestinal tract.

39. The system of claim 11, wherein the opening in the body is proximate a stomach.

40. The system of claim 11, wherein measuring impedance comprises measuring physiological changes in the body.

18-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method of detecting leaks in a body comprising:

inserting a flexible conduit in an opening in the body, wherein the flexible conduit comprises two or more sensors disposed in the flexible conduit, wherein at least one sensor is configured to measure physiological changes in the opening in the body

positioning the flexible conduit in the body such that leaks proximate an organ are indicated by the physiological changes; and

introducing a fluid into the body;

monitoring the physiological changes using the flexible conduit after fluid is introduced into the body.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

allowing a patient to ingest a contrast solution;

allowing the contrast solution to flow through the body; and

detecting a leak via the one or more sensors, wherein the contrast solution passes through the organ such that the impedance due to the contrast solution flow is measured by the one or more sensors.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the contrast solution is a saline solution.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

transmitting the physiological change to a measurement detection unit;

comparing the physiological change to a base line value for a physiological condition; and

producing a signal when the physiological condition deviates greater than a selected range from the base line value.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one sensor is configured to measure impedance, and further comprising:

transmitting the impedance to a measurement detection unit;

comparing the impedance to a base line value for the impedance; and

producing a signal when the impedance deviates greater than a selected range from the base line value.

33. (canceled)

34. An ion concentration monitoring system comprising:

a flexible conduit, wherein the flexible conduit is configured to be positionable in an opening in a body during use;

one or more sensors disposed in the flexible conduit, wherein at least one sensor is configured to measure ion concentration changes in the opening in the body; and

a measurement determining unit coupled to the one or more sensors, and wherein the measurement determining unit is configured to determine the ion concentration changes.