FIBER OPTIC CATHETER

• US 3,807,390 A
• Filed: 12/04/1972
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Lambert Technologies Inc (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David Ostrowski, Michael L. Polanyi
• Inventors: Polanyi, Michael L., Ostrowski, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Laudenslager, Lucie H.
• Application Number:
  US05/312,099
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.5R,2.5D,2.5F,2L,DIG.9,DIG.16 356/41 350/96B,175SL
• US Class Current: 600/332
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0233 Optical standards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150992 Blood sampling from a fluid line external to a patient, such as a catheter line, combined with an infusion line; blood sampling from indwelling needle sets, e.g. sealable ports, luer couplings, valves tubing connectors and couplings A61M39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/155 Devices specially adapted for continuous or multiple sampling, e.g. at predetermined intervals devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously A61B5/15146

Abstract

A flexible fiber optic catheter insertable into the cardiovascular system for monitoring blood oxygen saturation. The catheter has a distal cage for preventing its end face from contacting vessel walls or the endocardium during use. The cage is terminated with a smoothly surfaced ball which is adapted to provide fixed reflections of light directed thereon from the catheter when in air or placed in a clear sterile solution for calibration prior to use.

Claims

1. A fiber optic catheter for use in measuring amounts of diffuse reflection of light in blood, said catheter having a multiplicity of light-conducting fibers and a catheter tubing surrounding said fibers, the fibers all being intimately juxtaposed adjacent the distal end of said catheter with corresponding end faces thereof exposed at said distal end and separated into a pair of branches adjacent the opposite proximal end of said catheter, corresponding fibers of each branch being intimately juxtaposed and respective end faces thereof exposed;

wherein the improvement comprises;

a rigid ball disposed forwardly of said exposed faces of said fibers at said distal end of said catheter and spaced away therefrom a distance greater than a maximum distance of penetration of light into blood whereby light emitted from said exposed faces of said fibers will be prevented from reaching said ball when said distal end of said catheter is placed in blood, said ball further being formed of a substance which characteristically reflects a fixed ratio of at least two preselected wavelengths of light directed thereupon from said exposed faces of said fibers at said distal end of said catheter when said distal end including said exposed faces and said ball is disposed in air and clear liquids; and

a pair of slender posts supporting said ball in said spaced relationship with said fiber faces, said posts respectively extending from approximately diametrically opposed sides of said ball in a direction longitudinally of said catheter tubing and being secured to said distal end of said catheter for completing the configuration of a cage permitting a free flow of blood between said ball and adjacent fiber faces when said catheter distal end is placed in said blood for testing thereof, said cage further preventing contact of said exposed fiber ends with walls of means containing said blood.

2. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 wherein said fibers of each of said branches are randomely intermixed adjacent said distal end of said catheter.

3. A fiber optic cather according to claim 1 wherein said fibers in said branches are maintained in correspondingly separated relationship throughout the length of said catheter.

4. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 wherein said pair of slender posts comprise oppositely disposed extensions of a looped length of wire and said ball is affixed to the intermediate looped portion of said wire.

5. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 wherein said ball is formed of a white pigmented plastic material.

6. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 wherein said ball is formed of metal.

7. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 4 wherein said ball is molded over said looped intermediate portion of said length of wire.

8. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 wherein said slender posts are at least partially imbedded in said catheter tubing and said tubing is smoothly finished thereover.

9. A fiber optic catheter according to claim 1 in combination with means for introducing light into said exposed end faces of one of said branches and photoelectric means for receiving light emitted from said exposed faces of the other of said branches.

10. A fiber optic catheter in the combination according to claim 9 further including means for determining ratios of amounts of light of two preselected wavelengths returned through said catheter from said distal end to one of said branches at said proximal end.