Ambulatory recording of the presence and activity of substances in gastro-intestinal compartments

• US 5,438,985 A
• Filed: 01/25/1993
• Issued: 08/08/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Synectics Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Essen-Moller, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASSER, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US08/008,137
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 128/632-635, 128/637, 128/664-666, 128/780
• US Class Current: 600/343
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention teaches a method and a system for ambulatory recording of the pH and the presence of various materials in compartments of the gastro-intestinal tract. The invention also reports the pH pattern in relation to the prevalence of the materials, and analyses to which degree such materials are in active or inactive states in their normal or foreign compartments. This is useful in situations, for example, when duodenal material is refluxed into the stomach and esophagus. The invention involves a gastro-intestinal catheter with a pH sensor and a combined light absorption and fluorescence sensor, a signal recorder and processor, and a written report producer.

Claims

1. A gastro-intestinal catheter comprising:

(a) a catheter with a tubular body, a proximal end, a distal end, an interior, an exterior, and a head section at the distal end,

(b) a means for sensing pH that extends through the interior of the body, and

(c) a means for sensing light absorption and fluorescence by gastro-intestinal contents, this means for sensing light extending through the interior of the body, and communicating to the exterior of the body at or near the distal end of the body, the means for sensing light absorption and fluorescence further comprising;

(d) a light absorption and fluorensence sensor mounted in the head section, comprising means for sensing light absorption and fluorescence by gastro-intestinal contents,

(e) an efferent fiberoptic bundle communicating from the proximal end of the body, through the interior of the body, to the light absorption and fluorescence sensor, and

(f) an efferent fiberoptic bundle communicating from the light absorption and fluorescence sensor through the interior of the body, to the proximal end of the body, the light absorption and fluorescence sensor further comprising;

(g) a reflector, with a proximal surface and a distal surface, the reflector attached to the distal end of the body by two wires and two springs such that an open space remains between the attached reflector and the distal end of the body, with a proximal end of each wire attached to the distal end of the body and a distal end of each wire attached to the reflector and the two springs attached to the distal ends of the wires and the springs running across the distal surface of the reflector.

2. An apparatus for producing a written report about ambulatory recorded data regarding the presence and activity of substances in gastro-intestinal compartments, comprising:

(a) means for reading ambulatory recorded light absorption data, fluorescence data, time data and pH data,

(b) means for analyzing the light absorption data for characteristic light absorption patterns of possible gastro-intestinal materials, and identifying a material present,

(c) means for analyzing the fluorescence data for characteristic fluorescence patterns of possible gastro-intestinal materials, and identifying a material present, and

(d) means for printing a written report showing the correlation between the time data, the pH data, and the identified materials present.

3. The invention in claim 2, further comprising:

(a) means for analyzing the pH data and correlating it with the light absorption data, fluorescence data, and the material present, and

(b) means for analyzing the time data and correlating it with the light absorption data, fluorescence data, and the material present.

4. A method for using an electronic computer to produce a written report about ambulatory recorded data about the presence and activity of substances in gastro-intestinal compartments, comprising:

(a) reading ambulatory recorded light absorption data, fluorescence data, time data and pH data,

(b) analyzing the light absorption data for characteristic light absorption patterns of possible gastro-intestinal materials, and identifying a material present,

(c) analyzing the fluorescence data for characteristic fluorescence patterns of possible gastro-intestinal materials, and identifying materials present, and

(d) printing a written report showing the correlation between the time data, the pH data, and the identified materials present.