Automated Probe Placement Device

• US 20110224504A1
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivant Medical, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: DeCarlo, Arnold V., Ladtkow, Casey M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles

Abstract

A probe includes a handle and an elongated shaft with proximal and distal ends. The elongated shaft includes a plurality of axial holding tube projections to house a corresponding plurality of measurement probes. The probe further includes an actuation system to operably engage each of the plurality of measurement probes to permit selective actuation thereof. Each of the plurality of measurement probes is capable of being advanced distally relative to the handle in response to the actuation thereof. The plurality of measurement probes measure one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of temperature, physiological pressure, conductivity, aquametry, pH level, and oxygen level.

Claims

1. A probe comprising:

a handle;

an elongated shaft with proximal and distal ends, the elongated shaft including a plurality of axial holding tube projections configured to house a corresponding plurality of measurement probes; and

an actuation system configured to operably engage each of the plurality of measurement probes to permit selective actuation thereof, wherein each of the plurality of measurement probes is configured to advance distally relative to the handle in response to actuation thereof.

2. The probe according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of measurement probes is configured for in-vivo measurement of human or animal body tissue.

3. The probe according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of measurement probes is configured to measure at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of temperature, physiological pressure, conductivity, aquametry, pH level, and oxygen level.

4. The probe according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of measurement probes is a fiber optic measurement probe.

5. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of measurement probes is arranged in an array-like manner within the elongated shaft.

6. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system includes an operating portion coupled to each of the axial holding tube projections, the operating portion disposed on an outer surface of the probe.

7. The probe according to claim 6, wherein each of the operating portions is configured to deploy a corresponding measurement probe into the body cavity.

8. The probe according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of measurement probes is actuated individually in the body cavity to measure and assess efficacy of a body cavity.

9. The probe according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of measurement probes are actuated simultaneously in the body cavity to measure and assess efficacy of a body cavity.

10. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the handle includes an indicator to identify a type of the plurality of measurement probes being actuated in the body cavity.

11. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system includes:

a resilient member removably disposed on a proximal end of each of the axial holding tube projections; and

at least one projecting edge coupled to a surface of the handle, the at least one projecting edge engages with a corresponding proximal end of one of the plurality of axial holding tube projections, the at least one projecting edge configured to enable a respective plurality of axial holding tube projections to advance distally relative to the handle in response to the actuation.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a probe having;

an elongated shaft with proximal and distal ends, the elongated shaft including a plurality of axial holding tube projections that house a corresponding plurality of measurement probes; and

at least one actuator configured to actuate at least one of the plurality of measurement probes to advance distally relative to the handle in response to actuation thereof; and

actuating one of the plurality of measurement probes to measure a parameter of a body cavity via the actuated measurement probe.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the steps of:

retracting the measurement probe after the measurement; and

actuating another one of the plurality of measurement probes to measure another parameter of the body cavity.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the parameter is selected from a group consisting of:

temperature, physiological pressure, conductivity, aquametry, pH level, and oxygen level.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of measurement probes are arranged in an array-like manner within the elongated shaft.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a corresponding operating portion, each of the operating portion being exposed to an outer surface of the probe.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein each of the operating portions is configured to deploy a corresponding measurement probe into the body cavity.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of measurement probes is actuated individually into the body cavity.

19. The method according to claim 12, further including the step of providing an indictor operably associated with the probe configured to indicate a type of the plurality of measurement probes being actuated into the body cavity.