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Multiple purpose esophageal probe

  • US 3,951,136 A
  • Filed: 10/07/1974
  • Issued: 04/20/1976
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1973
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An endo-esophageal probe for monitoring acoustic heart and/or lung sounds and internal body temperatures comprising a tube having an upper segment and a lower end, said lower end adapted to be inserted into a lower portion of the esophagus through a body cavity, the portion of the tube adapted to be inserted into the body being sealed and including a thin wall segment and a thick wall, relatively rigid segment, at least a portion of said thin wall segment forming a diaphragm having a relatively low acoustic impedance relative to the thick wall segment for coupling the acoustic sounds to the interior of the tube, and temperature transducer means for monitoring the body temperature through the thin wall segment, electrical conductor means connected to said transducer means and extending to said upper segment, said transducer means being located inside the sealed tube in close proximity to the thin wall segment, said thin wall segment which is in close proximity to the transducer means being located on said lower end of the tube where the tube is normally situated in the lower mediastinum, below the pulmonary veins and between the heart and the descending part of the aorta, said thin wall segment located in close proximity to the temperature transducer means having a fast temperature response time relative to the thick wall segment for rapidly coupling internal body temperature variations to the transducer means.

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