Universal measuring attachment for esophageal stethoscopes

• US 4,475,555 A
• Filed: 05/29/1980
• Issued: 10/09/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald S. Linder
• Original Assignee: Gerald S. Linder
• Inventors: Linder, Gerald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Application Number:
  US06/154,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 128/773, 128/736, 128/725, 128/642, 128/673, 128/303.15, 128/247, 128/670, 128/349 R, 128/348, 604/158-160, 604/171, 604/264, 604/280, 604/283-284
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/023 for introduction into the body, e.g. into the oesophagus oesophageal ECG probes A61B5/285

Abstract

A measuring attachment for use with a variety of sizes of esophageal stethoscopes is disclosed for enabling the measurement of a number of patient body conditions while monitoring a patient'"'"'s body sounds in the region of the esophagus. The measuring attachment includes a coupling adapter having an input opening for coupling to the open end of an esophageal stethoscope, an output opening for coupling to an acoustically-responsive instrument, and a central bore extending through the coupling adapter between the input and output openings for the passage of the patient'"'"'s body sounds. A lateral passageway is provided from an outside surface of the coupling adapter and through the adapter for entry into the open end of the stethoscope. The lateral passageway enables a pair of electrically-conductive wires to slidably pass from the outside of the coupling adapter through the adapter to an adjustably-positionable sensing probe. The sensing probe is insertable into the stethoscope and may be adjustably placed at any suitable position therein. A suitable measuring instrument for displaying the measurement is connected to the output terminals of the pair of conductive wires and may be located remotely from the coupling adapter for the convenience of the physician. The esophageal stethoscope may be intubated into the patient with the measuring attachment of the invention in place, or the measuring attachment may be inserted into, or may be removed from, the stethoscope after its intubation.

Claims

1. A measuring attachment for use with an esophageal stethoscope having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, comprising in combination:

(a) a coupling adapter composed of a body of resilient polymer material having an outside wall surface and having an input and an output opening;

(b) a hollow cylindrical bore extending completely through the body of said resilient adapter between said input and said output openings for the passage of sound waves therethrough, the portion of said adapter adjacent said input opening and surrounding said hollow cylindrical bore being a first cylindrical section for coupling to, and removal from, the open end of an esophageal stethoscope of a first diameter size, the body of said coupling adapter adjacent said first cylindrical section and surrounding said hollow cylindrical bore being a second cylindrical section having a diameter larger than the diameter of the first cylindrical section, said second cylindrical section being adapted for insertion into and removal from the open end of an esophageal stethoscope of a second and larger diameter size, said output opening being adapted for coupling to an acoustically responsive instrument;

(c) a lateral passageway extending from the outside wall surface of said resilient coupling adapter and through the body of said adapter into said hollow cylindrical bore;

(d) a pair of electrically-conductive wires situated within and extending through said lateral passageway, a portion of said hollow cylindrical bore, and out through said input opening, said pair of conductive wires having first and second pairs of end terminals, each pair of said end terminals being remotely situated with respect to said coupling adapter;

(e) a temperature-sensing element coupled to said first pair of end terminals, said temperature-sensing element being positioned with respect to said resilient coupling adapter by manually sliding said pair of conductive wires through said lateral passageway, said temperature-sensing element and said first pair of end terminals being adapted for insertion into and removal from the open end of an esophageal stethoscope, said pair of electrically-conductive wires being of sufficient stiffness to permit the positioning and retention of said temperature-sensing element at any desired, selected position within the esophageal stethoscope, said temperature-sensing element being retained in its selected position within the esophageal stethoscope upon the coupling of the first or second cylindrical section of said resilient coupling adapter to the open end of the esophageal stethoscope; and

(f) means attached to said second pair of end terminals for coupling the output from said temperature-sensing element to a remotely-located temperature-measuring instrument.

2. The measuring attachment as defined by claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional shape of said lateral passageway extending through the body of said coupling adapter may be altered by applying a compressional force upon the body of resilient polymer material surrounding said passageway.

3. The measuring attachment as defined by claim 2 wherein the cross-sectional shape of said lateral passageway is non-circular, and wherein a compressional force applied to the body of resilient polymer material surrounding said passageway alters the cross-sectional shape of said passageway to permit sliding of the pair of electrically-conductive wires situated therein.

4. A measuring attachment for use with an esophageal stethoscope having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, comprising in combination:

(a) a coupling adapter composed of a body of resilient polymer material having an outside surface and having an input and an output opening;

(b) a hollow cylindrical bore extending completely through said resilient adapter between said input and said output openings for the passage of sound, the portion of said adapter adjacent said input opening and surrounding said hollow cylindrical bore being a first cylindrical surface for coupling to, and removal from, the open end of an esophageal stethoscope, said output opening being adapted for coupling to an acoustically-responsive instrument;

(c) a lateral passageway extending from the outside surface of said resilient coupling adapter and through said adapter for entry into said hollow cylindrical bore;

(d) a pair of electrically-conductive wires situated within and extending through said lateral passageway into said hollow cylindrical bore and out through said input opening, said pair of conductive wires having a first pair of end terminals remotely situated with respect to said lateral passageway; and

(e) a sensing probe coupled to said first pair of end terminals, said sensing probe being adapted for adjustable-positioning within the esophageal stethoscope at any desired, selected position therein by slidably positioning said pair of conductive wires within said lateral passageway, the resilient walls of said lateral passageway slidably passing and gripping said pair of conductive wires, said pair of electrically-conductive wires being provided with sufficient stiffness to assure retention of said sensing probe at the desired, selected position within the esophageal stethoscope, said pair of conductive wires having a second pair of end terminals remotely situated with respect to said lateral passageway for connecting to an external measuring instrument.

5. A measuring attachment for use with an esophageal stethoscope having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, comprising in combination:

(a) a coupling adapter composed of a cylindrical body of resilient polymer material having an outside surface and having an input and an output opening;

(b) a hollow cylindrical bore extending completely through said resilient adapter between said input and said output openings for the passage of sound waves, the section of said cylindrical body adjacent said input opening and surrounding said bore being tapered for coupling to, and removal from, the open end of an esophageal stethoscope, said output opening being adapted for coupling to an acoustically-responsive instrument;

(c) a lateral passageway extending from the outside surface of said resilient coupling adapter and through the resilient body of said adapter into said hollow cylindrical bore;

(d) a pair of relatively stiff electrically-conductive wires situated within and extending through said lateral passageway, a portion of said bore, and out through said input opening;

said pair of conductive wires having first end terminals remotely situated with respect to said coupling adapter;

(e) a sensing element coupled to said first end terminals, said sensing element being positioned with respect to said resilient coupling adapter by sliding said pair of conductive wires through said lateral passageway, the walls of said lateral passageway slidably passing and gripping said pair of conductive wires, said sensing element coupled to said first end terminal of said electrically-conductive wires being insertable into and removable from the esophageal stethoscope without disturbance of the esophageal stethoscope, said sensing element being retained at its selected depth of penetration within the esophageal stethoscope by insertion of the tapered input section of said adapter into the open proximal end of the esophageal stethoscope, said pair of conductive wires having second end terminals remotely situated with respect to said coupling adapter; and

(f) connector means coupled to said second end terminals, said connector means being adapted for connecting the output from said sensing element to a remotely-located measuring instrument.

6. A measuring attachment for use with an esophageal stethoscope having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, comprising in combination:

(a) a coupling adapter composed of a cylindrical body of polymer material having an outside surface and having an input and an output opening;

(b) a hollow cylindrical bore extending through said cylindrical adapter between said input and output openings, the portion of said cylindrical adapter adjacent said input opening and surrounding said hollow cylincrical bore being adapted for coupling to the open proximal end of an esophageal stethoscope;

(c) a cylindrically shaped passageway extending from the outside surface of said cylindrical adapter and through the body of said cylindrical adapter into said hollow cylindrical bore, said cylindrically shaped passageway being laterally displaced with respect to said hollow cylindrically shaped bore;

(d) a pair of electrically conductive wires having a first and a second pair of end terminals and an intermediate portion located between said first and second pair of end terminals, said intermediate portion extending from the outside surface of said cylindrical adapter into a portion of said hollow cylindrical bore and out through said input opening, said first and second pairs of end terminals being remotely situated with respect to said cylindrical adapter; and

(e) an electrically responsive probe coupled to said first pair of end terminals, said probe being adapted for adjustable positioning within the esophageal stethoscope at any desired position therein upon insertion into the esophageal stethoscope through its open proximal end, said intermediate portion of said pair of electrically conductive wires being slideably positionable with respect to said cylindrical adapter, said cylindrical adapter including resilient polymer means surrounding said intermediate portion for slideably passing and gripping said pair of electrically conductive wires, said pair of electrically conductive wires being provided with sufficient stiffness to assure retention of said probe at the desired, selected position within the esophageal stethoscope when the portion of said cylindrical adapter adjacent said input opening is coupled to the open proximal end of the esophageal stethoscope, said second pair of end terminals remotely situated with respect to said cylindrical adapter being adapted for connecting to an external, remotely located instrument.