Implantable measuring probe for measuring the flow velocity of blood in humans and animals
First Claim
1. An implantable measuring probe for measuring the flow velocity of blood in a natural blood vessel or a replacement blood vessel of humans and animals, comprising:
- a rod-shaped probe head arranged at an end of a probe cable;
a sensor inserted in said probe head; and
a device attached to said probe head to hold said probe head on the blood vessel, said sensor including an irradiating and receiving surface having an elongate form and a longitudinal extension being at least as large as an inner diameter of the blood vessel in which the measurement is to be carried out, said surface extending with said longitudinal extension substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped probe head and oriented with respect to the holding device to extend with said longitudinal extension approximately perpendicularly to the blood flow direction in said blood vessel with said probe head being secured to the blood vessel via said device.
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Abstract
An implantable measuring probe, preferably an ultrasonic probe, for measuring the flow velocity of blood in natural blood vessels or replacement blood vessels of humans and animals. The measuring probe is provided with a rod-shaped probe head arranged at the end of a probe cable and in which a sensor, preferably a piezoelectric crystal, is inserted, and with a device for holding the probe head on the blood vessel. The irradiating and receiving surface of the sensor has an elongate shape, its longitudinal extension being at least as large as the inner diameter of the blood vessel in which the measurement is to be carried out. This surface extends with its longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped probe head. Furthermore, this surface is orientated in such a manner to the holding device that it extends in the case of the probe head secured to the vessel with its longitudinal extension approximately perpendicular to the blood flow direction in the vessel.
69 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An implantable measuring probe for measuring the flow velocity of blood in a natural blood vessel or a replacement blood vessel of humans and animals, comprising:
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a rod-shaped probe head arranged at an end of a probe cable; a sensor inserted in said probe head; and a device attached to said probe head to hold said probe head on the blood vessel, said sensor including an irradiating and receiving surface having an elongate form and a longitudinal extension being at least as large as an inner diameter of the blood vessel in which the measurement is to be carried out, said surface extending with said longitudinal extension substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped probe head and oriented with respect to the holding device to extend with said longitudinal extension approximately perpendicularly to the blood flow direction in said blood vessel with said probe head being secured to the blood vessel via said device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25)
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22. A method of measuring a flow velocity in a blood vessel which is either a natural blood vessel or a replacement blood vessel of humans and animals, comprising the steps of:
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using an implantable measuring probe or ultrasonic probe having a probe head which is arranged at the end of a probe cable; determining a blood flow direction in the blood vessel and a size of the blood vessel; and arranging an elongate irradiating and receiving surface of the probe head on the blood vessel such that a longitudinal extension of the irradiating and receiving surface extends approximately perpendicularly to the blood flow direction in the blood vessel and a transverse extension of the irradiating and receiving surface extends at an angle of 0°
to 90°
to the blood flow direction depending on the size of the blood vessel.
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Specification