Continuous cardiac output by impedance measurements in the heart
First Claim
1. A diagnostic catheter for use in measuring cardiac output in the right ventricular chamber comprising:
- (a) an elongated, multi-lumen, flexible member having a distal end and a proximal end, a first lumen extending the entire length of said member and terminating in a distal port, a second port extending through the side wall of said member at a location immediately proximate of said distal end of said flexible member and a second lumen extending from said proximal end of said member to said second port;
(b) an expandable sleeve surrounding said member and spanning said second port, said sleeve inflatable by a fluid introduced into the proximal end of said second lumen;
(c) a plurality of ring electrodes secured to the outer surface of said member at predetermined axial spacing including a distal ring electrode located a first predetermined distance proximal of said distal end of said flexible member, a proximal ring electrode located a second predetermined distance greater than said first predetermined distance from said distal end of said flexible member and a further plurality of intermediate ring electrodes disposed between said distal ring electrode and said proximal ring electrode;
(d) a plurality of electrical conductors extending longitudinally through a third lumen in said flexible member from said proximal end of said flexible member and individually connected to separate ones of said plurality of ring electrodes; and
,(e) a first stiffening member disposed in a fourth lumen in said flexible member and extending from a third predetermined distance to a fourth predetermined distance proximal of said distal end of said flexible member, said third and fourth distances being greater than said second predetermined distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic catheter for use in measuring cardiac output in the right ventricular chamber of a heart includes a catheter body having an outer periphery and a distal section terminating in a distal end and a proximal section terminating in a proximal end. A plurality of spaced electrodes are secured to the body outer periphery along the body distal section. A plurality of electrical leads extend in the catheter body from a respective one of the electrodes to the proximal end of the catheter body. An elongated rigid member is provided for stiffening a portion of the catheter body. One end of the rigid member is located adjacent a proximal most one of a plurality of electrodes. The rigid member so locates the plurality of electrodes as to space them away from endocardial tissue. The catheter is used with a cardiac output monitoring system. Signals from the catheter are acquired by a signal conditioning and catheter control unit and, are thereafter fed to a microcomputer. The catheter and the system are used in a method for determining the instantaneous volume of blood in a heart chamber.
83 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A diagnostic catheter for use in measuring cardiac output in the right ventricular chamber comprising:
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(a) an elongated, multi-lumen, flexible member having a distal end and a proximal end, a first lumen extending the entire length of said member and terminating in a distal port, a second port extending through the side wall of said member at a location immediately proximate of said distal end of said flexible member and a second lumen extending from said proximal end of said member to said second port; (b) an expandable sleeve surrounding said member and spanning said second port, said sleeve inflatable by a fluid introduced into the proximal end of said second lumen; (c) a plurality of ring electrodes secured to the outer surface of said member at predetermined axial spacing including a distal ring electrode located a first predetermined distance proximal of said distal end of said flexible member, a proximal ring electrode located a second predetermined distance greater than said first predetermined distance from said distal end of said flexible member and a further plurality of intermediate ring electrodes disposed between said distal ring electrode and said proximal ring electrode; (d) a plurality of electrical conductors extending longitudinally through a third lumen in said flexible member from said proximal end of said flexible member and individually connected to separate ones of said plurality of ring electrodes; and
,(e) a first stiffening member disposed in a fourth lumen in said flexible member and extending from a third predetermined distance to a fourth predetermined distance proximal of said distal end of said flexible member, said third and fourth distances being greater than said second predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A catheter for measuring cardiac output, comprising:
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a catheter body having an outer periphery and a distal section terminating in a distal end and a proximal section terminating in a proximal end; a plurality of spaced electrodes secured to said body outer periphery along said body distal section; a plurality of electrical leads, each one extending in said catheter body from a respective one of said electrodes to said proximal end of said catheter body; and an elongated rigid means for stiffening a portion of said catheter body, a distal end of said rigid means being located proximally of a proximal-most of one said plurality of electrodes, said rigid means being located proximally of said plurality of electrodes in order to allow them to be spaced away from endocardial tissue when said catheter body is correctly located in a heart. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A catheter for measuring cardiac output, comprising:
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an elongated flexible multi-lumen catheter body having an outer periphery and a distal section terminating in a distal end and a proximal section terminating in a proximal end; a balloon attached to said distal end of said body; a first lumen extending the entire length of said catheter body and terminating in a first port which communicates with an interior surface of said balloon; a plurality of spaced electrodes secured to said body outer periphery along said body distal section proximal of said balloon; a second lumen extending from a distal most one of said plurality of spaced electrodes to said proximal end of said body; a plurality of electrical leads, each one extending through said second lumen from a respective one of said electrodes to said proximal end of said catheter body; and
,a means for taking blood pressure measurements in a right ventricle of a heart when the catheter is fully inserted in the heart, said means comprising a third lumen which extends longitudinally in said catheter body from said proximal end to a second port intermediate said plurality of spaced electrodes, wherein said second port is adapted to take blood pressure measurements as the port passes through a tricuspid valve and becomes stationary in the right ventricle of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification