METHOD TO IDENTIFY TISSUE OXYGENATION STATE BY SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

• US 20130295192A1
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Children's Hospital & Medical Center
• Original Assignee: Children's Hospital & Medical Center
• Inventors: Hirsch, Russel, Racadio, John Miras
• Granted Patent: US 9,468,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles

Abstract

A system and method for identifying metabolic activity within the heart muscle (myocardium). Metabolic activity is determined through spectrographic analysis of the myocardium. More particularly, oxygen saturation of the myocardium is measured through the spectrographic analysis, and metabolic activity is measured by a decrease in oxygen saturation of the myocardium over time.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

i. inserting a distal end of a photonic needle within myocardium;

ii. emitting light from the distal end of the photonic needle within the myocardium;

iii. detecting light reflected from the myocardium;

iv. processing the reflected light to measure oxygen saturation of the myocardium; and

v. establishing a baseline oxygen saturation level of the myocardium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a decrease in the measured oxygen saturation of the myocardium from the baseline oxygen saturation level during protected cardiac arrest is indicative of ongoing myocardial aerobic and metabolic activity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of providing corrective action to protect the myocardium in response to the decrease in the measured oxygen saturation of the myocardium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing corrective action includes the step of applying additional cardioplegia solution, or altering the composition of the cardioplegia solution

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the photonic needle includes a shaft, a first optic fiber within the shaft for emitting light from the distal end, and a second optic fiber within the shaft for receiving the reflected light.

6. A method of measuring oxygen saturation in the myocardium, the method comprising the steps of:

i. inserting a photonic needle within the myocardium, wherein the photonic needle includes a shaft, a first optic fiber extending within the shaft and coupled to a light source, and a second optic fiber extending within the shaft and coupled to a light detector;

ii. emitting light from the first optic fiber;

iii.collecting light with the second optic fiber;

iv. obtaining spectroscopic data from light delivered and collected from the myocardium via the photonic needle; and

v. processing the spectroscopic data to measure oxygen saturation of the myocardium.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of determining active myocardial metabolic activity based upon a change in measured oxygen saturation of the myocardium.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of applying a cardioplegia solution to the myocardium to reduce metabolic activity.