APPARATUS FOR MEASURING BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION

• US 20100279335A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envitec-Wismar GmbH (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Envitec-Wismar GmbH (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Scholl, Thomas, Eckermann, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,721,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/247 Hygienic covers, i.e. for covering the sensor or apparatus during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring blood oxygen saturation, comprising a housing (1), a sensor (2), a connecting cable (3) and a plug (4), wherein

• • the housing (1) has a cavity (5) for accepting a patient'"'"'s tissue which is supplied with blood;
  • the sensor (2) which is arranged on the housing and has at least one light source (21) for the emission of light which passes through the tissue which is supplied with blood and a detector (22) for receiving the light passing through the tissue which is supplied with blood; and
  • the apparatus can be connected to an evaluation unit via the plug (4).

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring blood oxygen saturation

comprising a housing (1), a sensor (2), a connecting cable (3) and a plug (4), wherein:

the housing (1) has a cavity (5) for accepting a patient'"'"'s tissue that is supplied with blood;

the sensor (2) is arranged on the housing and has at least one light source (21) for the emission of light that passes through said patient tissue and a detector (22) for receiving the light passing through said patient tissue; and

the apparatus can be connected to an evaluation unit via the plug (4);

further wherein;

the housing (1), the sensor (2), the connecting cable (3) and the plug (4) are connected to one another in an interlocking and nondetachable manner; and

the exterior of at least the housing (1), the connecting cable (3) and of the plug (4) are formed from a first flexible, autoclavable material.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (1) is formed completely from the first flexible, autoclavable material.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (1) has a coating comprising the first flexible, autoclavable material, wherein the coating forms the exterior of the housing (1).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the exterior of the sensor (2) consists of a second autoclavable material, wherein the second autoclavable material is either the same as the first flexible, autoclavable material or a material other than the first flexible, autoclavable material.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting cable (3) has an insulation comprising the first flexible, autoclavable material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (2) is integrated into the housing (1) and the exterior of the sensor (2) that faces said patient tissue is formed by the housing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (1) has a base plate (11) and a cover plate (12) that is a distance away from the base plate (11) and is rotatable in a plane which is parallel to the base plate (11), wherein:

a first side element (13) and a second side element (14) are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the base plate (11) while a third side element is arranged on the narrow side of the base plate (11);

the side elements extend perpendicularly to the base plate (11) up to the cover plate (12) and, together with the base plate (11) and the cover plate (12), bound the cavity (5) for accepting said patient tissue, the cavity (5) being closed at the bottom by the base plate (11) and at the top by the cover plate (12); and

the housing (1) has a spring element (13) that is fastened to the third side element and to the base plate (11) on the other hand, the spring element (13) clamping the base plate (11) in the direction of the cover plate (12).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the light source (21) of the sensor (2) is arranged on the outside of the cover plate (12), which faces the base plate (11), and the detector (22) is arranged on the outside of the base plate (11) which faces the cover plate (12).

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first flexible, autoclavable material is a silicone.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second autoclavable material is a silicone.

11. A method for producing an apparatus according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing (1), a sensor (2), a connecting cable (3) and a plug (4), wherein at least one of these parts has an exterior formed of a non-autoclavable material;

spraying of the exterior of the parts with an autoclavable substance, said autoclavable substance having a gel- or foam-like consistency or being present in the gaseous state so that the flexible, autoclavable substance diffuses into the surfaces of the parts with formation of the outsides comprising a flexible, autoclavable material.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the autoclavable substance forms a coating comprising a flexible, autoclavable material.

13. A method of measuring blood oxygen saturation in a patient'"'"'s tissue that is supplied with blood using the apparatus according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

placing said patient tissue in the cavity (5) of the housing (1);

passing light through said patient tissue;

detecting the light passed through said patient tissue.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of using the apparatus according to claim 1 to measure the oxygen saturation S_pO₂ of said patient tissue.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of using the apparatus according to claim 1 to monitor the oxygen saturation of said patient tissue.