Nasal septum probe for photoplethysmographic measurements

• US 5,335,659 A
• Filed: 04/12/1993
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Ohmeda, Inc. (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Pologe, Jonas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/045,952
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 128/664, 128/665, 128/666, 128/721, 128/719, 128/633, 128/207.18, 128/637, 128/667, 128/671, 128/634
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02

Abstract

The nasal septum probe of the present invention mounts the optical devices of a photoplethysmographic probe in a housing that clips onto the patient'"'"'s nasal septum. The septum provides an arterial bed for monitoring purposes and this locus is not subject to significant patient motion or peripheral shutdown of arteriolar blood flow. Furthermore, one embodiment of the invention shows a combination of the photoplethysmographic apparatus with a nasal cannula to provide dual purpose apparatus to minimize the sensor and cable proliferation.

Claims

1. A probe for releasably attaching to the nasal septum of a patient to perform multi-wavelength photoplethysmographic measurements of the arterial blood flow in said nasal septum, comprising:

probe body;

first probe arm extending outward from a surface of said probe body and of dimensions to be insertable into a patient'"'"'s nostril;

second probe arm extending outward from said surface of said probe body in a parallel spaced apart relationship with said first probe arm and of dimensions to be insertable into a patient'"'"'s nostril;

first and second support means attached to said probe body for securing said probe in place on said nasal septum, wherein at least one of said first support means and said second support means is hollow and connected at a first end to a one of said first and second probe arms and connectable at a second end thereof to a supply of gas for transporting said gas from said supply to said nasal septum;

at least two light sources mounted at the distal end of said first probe arm on an interior surface thereof;

light detector mounted at the distal end of said second probe arm on an interior surface thereof;

wherein said interior surface of both said first and said second probe arms face each other to place both said at least two light sources and said light detector in contact with said nasal septum on opposite sides thereof at a vascularized site on said nasal septum, when said nasal septum is positioned between said first and said second probe arms, to enable light beams produced by said at least two light sources to pass through said vascularized site on said nasal septum before being received by said light detector to perform photoplethysmographic measurements on the arterial blood flowing through said vascularized site on said nasal septum.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein said first probe arm and said second probe arm are deformably attached to said probe body for compliantly conforming to said nasal septum when said first probe arm and said second probe arm are placed in contact with said nasal septum.

3. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

first extension extending outward from said probe body; and

second extension extending outward from said probe body in a parallel spaced apart relationship with said first extension, said first extension and said second extension operable to cause said first probe arm and said second probe arm to separate from each other when said first extension and said second extension are moved toward each other.

4. The probe of claim 1 wherein said first support means and said second support means comprise tubular elements attached to said probe body at one end and capable of being secured together to form a loop for securing said probe to said patient.

5. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

means for electrically interconnecting said at least two light sources and said light detector with a medical monitoring instrument.

6. The probe of claim 1 further comprising:

means secured to at least one of said first hollow tube and said second hollow tube for electrically interconnecting said at least two light sources and said light detector with a medical monitoring instrument.