INTRA-OPERATIVE OCULAR PARAMETER SENSING

• US 20070191695A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Optho Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Optho Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Crowley, Christopher, Abrams, Daniel, Keilbach, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US11/567,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191695A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/1233 for measuring blood flow, e.g. at the retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/125 with contact lenses contact lenses per se G02C7/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/16 for measuring intraocular pressure, e.g. tonometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/18 Arrangement of plural eye-testing or -examining apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14555 specially adapted for the eye fundus

Abstract

A patient is monitored during a medical procedure, such as spinal surgery, to identify a condition indicative of the possible onset of blindness or damage to the patient'"'"'s eye or eyes. Parameters that may be monitored in this regard include ocular perfusion, retinal oxygen saturation and ocular pressure. In one implementation, a device for monitoring the desired parameters includes a contact lens with fiber optic pathways mounted thereon. Light of multiple wavelengths can be transmitted into the patient'"'"'s eyes via input optical pathways. Output optical pathways are associated with a camera for obtaining images of an area of interest within the patient'"'"'s eyes. The images can be processed to obtain information regarding ocular perfusion and/or oxygen saturation. Changes in this regard can be used to identify a condition of interest.

Claims

1. A method for use in monitoring a patient, comprising the steps of:

identifying a physiological parameter potentially related to an onset of patient eye damage;

monitoring said identified physiological parameter during a medical procedure at a patient site separate from eyes of said patient; and

based on said monitoring, taking potentially corrective action in the event of an indication related to said onset of patient eye damage.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring a physiological parameter involves monitoring an ocular parameter.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said physiological parameter relates to ocular perfusion, oxygen saturation or pressure.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring comprises identifying a change in ocular perfusion, oxygen saturation or pressure.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring comprises operating a monitoring device to measure said physiological parameter during a spinal procedure.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring comprises illuminating at least one eye of the patient with light of first and second wavelengths at first and second times, respectively.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said step of monitoring further comprises obtaining first and second images of an area of interest of said eye corresponding to said first and second wavelengths.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said step of monitoring further comprises obtaining differential values based on said first and second images.

9. A patient monitoring device, comprising:

an optical instrument for use in monitoring one of patient perfusion and oxygen saturation, said optical instrument including at least one optical fiber for use in transmitting an optical signal for use in said monitoring; and

a positioning structure for positioning at least a portion of said optical instrument so as to monitor one of ocular oxygen saturation and ocular perfusion.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9, wherein said optical instrument includes an optical transmitter assembly for transmitting an optical signal in relation to tissue of a patient'"'"'s eye and an optical receiver assembly for receiving said optical signal after interaction with said tissue.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a processor for providing information regarding said physiological parameter based on said received optical signal.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said positioning structure comprises an eye contact for maintaining said instrument portion in a substantially fixed position in relation to a retina or cornea of said patient.

13. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said receiver assembly comprises an optical source, and eye contact for transmitting an optical signal relative to said patient'"'"'s eye, and optical link for use in interconnecting said optical source to use in eye contact.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13, wherein said optical link includes an optical fiber.

15. A device for use in monitoring a patient, comprising:

an eye contact;

a pressure sensor, supportably associated with said eye contact, for sensing an ocular pressure of said patient; and

a monitoring instrument, supportable associated with said pressure sensor, for use in monitoring said ocular pressure of said patient during a medical procedure at a patient site separate from eyes of said patient and for providing an indication upon detecting a condition potentially related to an onset of eye damage.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an optical instrument for use in monitoring one of ocular perfusion and ocular oxygen saturation during said medical procedure.

17. A patient-monitoring apparatus, comprising:

an eye contact;

a pressure sensor, supportably associate with said eye contact, for monitoring an ocular pressure of said patient; and

an optical instrument, supportably associated with said eye contact, for use in monitoring an optical parameter in relation to said eye of said patient.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a processor, operatively interconnected to said pressure sensor and said optical instrument, for identifying a condition of interest based on one or both of said ocular pressure and said optical parameter.

19. An optical apparatus, comprising:

an eye contact; and

an optical fiber, supportably interconnected to said eye contact, for use in delivering or receiving an optical signal in relation to a patient'"'"'s eye.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising an optical source for transmitting light to said patient'"'"'s eye via said optical fiber.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a photodetector for receiving light from said patient'"'"'s eye via said optical fiber.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said photodetector comprises a camera for obtaining at least one image of a portion of said patient'"'"'s eye.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising a processor for processing image information from said camera to determine an optical parameter value.