Sensor delivery device
First Claim
1. Apparatus for delivering a medical sensor and an attached signal line to a predetermined position with respect to a distal end of the apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a catheter having proximal and distal ends and a connector disposed at the proximal end, the distal end of the catheter corresponding to the distal end of the apparatus;
(b) an elongate flexible tube having one end adapted for connection to said connector and an internal passage adapted to slidingly receive a signal line so that the signal line extends from the medical sensor, through the internal passage, and beyond a proximal end of the flexible tube, so that a portion of the signal line extends outside said proximal end of the flexible tube to be grasped by an operator of the apparatus to move said medical sensor between said internal passage in the flexible tube and the catheter;
(c) a probe stop adapted to be disposed on the signal line at a predetermined distance from the medical sensor, said probe stop having a larger cross-sectional size than the signal line;
(d) a shoulder formed on an inner surface of the connector, said shoulder abutting against the probe stop when the signal line is inserted into the catheter and the medical sensor is in said predetermined position to prevent further advancement of the signal line through the catheter, thereby stopping the medical sensor moving distally beyond said predetermined position;
(e) a tubular chamber, including a sterile environment, joined to the flexible tube at an end opposite that adapted to connect to the catheter, the tubular chamber being sized so that said signal line extends through the tubular chamber, said internal passage in the flexible tube, and at least a portion of said tubular chamber; and
(f) collapsible sheath means, disposed within the tubular chamber, for sealingly separating said sterile environment from an open end of the tubular chamber and maintaining the sterile environment as the medical sensor and signal line are moved between the catheter and the internal passage of the flexible tube.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for storing and delivering a sensor through a catheter. A sensor delivery device (10, 10'"'"') includes an elongate tube (20), which is attached to a rigid housing (22, 22'"'"'). A sensor (12), stored within a sterile environment comprising an interior of the sensor delivery device, has an attached signal line (16) that extends along the longitudinal axis of the delivery device and through its proximal end. The proximal end is open when the sensor is in its stored position. An eversible sheath (34) extends between the rigid housing and the signal line, sealingly separating the sterile environment (48) in which the sensor is stored from the open end of the rigid housing. To use the sensor, the signal line is moved into the rigid housing, causing the eversible sheath to turn inside out as the sensor is advanced through the catheter into its use position. The protection afforded by the eversible sheath permits the sensor to be withdrawn through the catheter and then reinserted without introducing contamination. A probe stop (54) abuts an inner surface of a catheter fitting (17), precisely controlling the distance that the sensor extends beyond a distal end of the catheter.
83 Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for delivering a medical sensor and an attached signal line to a predetermined position with respect to a distal end of the apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a catheter having proximal and distal ends and a connector disposed at the proximal end, the distal end of the catheter corresponding to the distal end of the apparatus; (b) an elongate flexible tube having one end adapted for connection to said connector and an internal passage adapted to slidingly receive a signal line so that the signal line extends from the medical sensor, through the internal passage, and beyond a proximal end of the flexible tube, so that a portion of the signal line extends outside said proximal end of the flexible tube to be grasped by an operator of the apparatus to move said medical sensor between said internal passage in the flexible tube and the catheter; (c) a probe stop adapted to be disposed on the signal line at a predetermined distance from the medical sensor, said probe stop having a larger cross-sectional size than the signal line; (d) a shoulder formed on an inner surface of the connector, said shoulder abutting against the probe stop when the signal line is inserted into the catheter and the medical sensor is in said predetermined position to prevent further advancement of the signal line through the catheter, thereby stopping the medical sensor moving distally beyond said predetermined position; (e) a tubular chamber, including a sterile environment, joined to the flexible tube at an end opposite that adapted to connect to the catheter, the tubular chamber being sized so that said signal line extends through the tubular chamber, said internal passage in the flexible tube, and at least a portion of said tubular chamber; and (f) collapsible sheath means, disposed within the tubular chamber, for sealingly separating said sterile environment from an open end of the tubular chamber and maintaining the sterile environment as the medical sensor and signal line are moved between the catheter and the internal passage of the flexible tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for delivering a medical sensor and an attached signal line into a patient'"'"'s body, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a catheter adapted to be inserted into a patient at a point of insertion, the catheter having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the catheter being first inserted into the patient, the catheter further comprising a connector, disposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the connector including a shoulder formed on an inner surface of the connector; (b) a flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the flexible tube being adapted for connection to the proximal end of the catheter, and also having an internal passage adapted to slidingly receive the signal line attached to the medical sensor so that the signal line extends through the internal passage and beyond the proximal end of the flexible tube so that an operator of the apparatus can grasp and slide the signal line through the flexible tube to move the medical sensor between the flexible tube and the catheter; and (c) a probe stop adapted to engage the signal line at a predefined point, the probe stop being adapted to abut the catheter should when the signal line is inserted into the catheter and the medical sensor is in a predetermined position so as to prevent further advancement of the medical sensor and signal line by the operator and thus control a disposition of the medical sensor relative to the distal end of the catheter, the probe stop comprising a fitting having a generally conical end adapted to abut the shoulder, the fitting being adapted to be bonded to the signal line at a predetermined distance from the medical sensor, said predetermined distance thereby being adjustable by adjusting the predefined point at which the fitting is bonded. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification