Disposable fetal oxygen monitor

• US 4,537,197 A
• Filed: 03/06/1981
• Issued: 08/27/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jaroslav F. Hulka
• Original Assignee: Jaroslav F. Hulka
• Inventors: Hulka, Jaroslav F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reichle, Karin M.
• Application Number:
  US06/241,433
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 128/306, 128/307, 128/361, 128/633, 128/664, 128/665, 128/666, 128/670, 128/784, 128/785, 128/642, 128/234, 356/39, 356/40, 356/41
• US Class Current: 600/338
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1464 specially adapted for foetal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/252 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4362 Assessing foetal parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6834 using vacuum

Abstract

Oxygenation within the brain of a child being born is monitored by light, initially transmitted by a bundle of fiber optics in one channel of a catheter held to the baby'"'"'s scalp by mild suction, the condition of the brain being monitored via reflected light from the brain transmitted through a light fiber optic bundle in a second channel of the catheter.

Claims

1. Surgical equipment comprising an obstetrical scalp cap of soft flexible plastic to be attached to a fetal scalp incidental to monitoring oxygenation of the fetal brain tissue, said cap having on its inner surface one or more recesses communicating with a port in the cap by which vacuum may be delivered thereto to hold the scalp cap in place at the time of expected delivery, said scalp cap including a pair of apertures at the inner surface, and a comolded catheter on the outside of the cap, said catheter having a channel for communicating vacuum to said port and having a pair of channels respectively accommodating fiber optic bundles by which a beam of light may be transmitted to the fetal brain through one of said pairs of apertures and reflected back through the other.

2. Surgical equipment according to claim 1 in which the vacuum channel in the end of the catheter opposite the scalp cap has vacuum communicated thereto by a syringe.

3. Surgical equipment according to claim 1 or 2 in which the ends of the fiber optic bundles opposite the apertures related thereto are respectively connected to a light beam transmitter and an instrument for analyzing the reflected light in terms of the oxygenation equivalent.