Catheter with integral pressure sensor
First Claim
1. A pressure sensing catheter comprising:
- a. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held;
b. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; and
,c. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a pressure sensing catheter having a housing with a body portion adapted to be hand-held, a pressure sensing means situated within the catheter housing and an elongated catheter tube with a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. The pressure sensing means has a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor and a display means located on the top surface of the catheter housing. The invention also provides a pressure sensing catheter with a steering means ergonomically adapted in a pistol-grip fashion with digitally depressible steering posts connected to steering wires for manipulating the distal end of the catheter tube. The invention also provides a pressure sensing catheter with helically braided support wires disposed along selective portions of the catheter tubing to provide differential flexibility. The invention also provided methods of using the same.
91 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A pressure sensing catheter comprising:
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a. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; b. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; and
,c. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A pressure sensing catheter comprising:
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a. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; b. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; c. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element; and
,d. a steering means on said hand-held housing for manipulating the direction of the distal end of said catheter tube, said steering means comprising; i. a steering grip having a body portion and a front surface located adjacent to the back end of said housing and extending from the bottom surface thereof, ii. first and second steering posts each with a from portion adapted for digital depression, a back portion and a middle portion, said steering posts being slidably disposed within a complimentary shaped channel extending through the front surface of said steering grip such that each of said front portions extends outside said steering grip, and each of said back portions extends into said body portion of said grip, and; iii. a pair of guide wires each with a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal ends being separately attached to said back portions of said first and second steering posts, and the distal ends being separately attached to the distal end of said catheter tube at predetermined opposing points, such that selective digital depression of either of said steering posts provides respectively alternating amounts of tension on said guide wires, thereby actuating said distal end of said catheter to move in a desired direction. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of determining the internal pressure of a vessel or cavity comprising:
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a. inserting a catheter into said vessel or cavity to a point where a determination of said internal pressure is desired, wherein said catheter comprises; i. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; ii. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; and
,iii. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element; and
,b. determining the internal pressure at said point by reading said display means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining the internal pressure of a vessel or cavity, comprising inserting a catheter into said vessel or cavity to a point where a determination of said internal pressure is desired, wherein said catheter comprises:
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a. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; b. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; c. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element; and
,d. a steering means for manipulating the direction of the distal end of said catheter tube, said steering means comprising; i. a steering grip having a body portion and a front surface located adjacent to the back end of said housing and extending from the bottom surface thereof; ii. first and second steering posts each with a front portion adapted for digital depression, a back portion and a middle portion, said steering posts being slidably disposed within a complimentary shaped channel extending through the front surface of said steering grip such that each of said front portions extends outside said steering grip, and each of said back portions extends into said body portion of said grip, and; iii. a pair of guide wires each with a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal ends being separately attached to said back portions of said first and second steering posts, and the distal ends being separately attached to the distal end of said catheter tube at predetermined opposing points, such that selective digital depression of either of said steering posts provides respectively alternating amounts of tension on said guide wires, thereby actuating said distal end of said catheter to move in a desired direction; and
,determining the internal pressure at said point by reading said display means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A pressure sensing catheter comprising:
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a. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; b. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; c. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element; and
,d. a steering means on said hand-held housing for manipulating the direction of the distal end of said catheter tube.
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16. A method of determining the internal pressure of a vessel or cavity comprising:
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a. inserting a catheter into said vessel or cavity to a point where a determination of said internal pressure is desired, wherein said catheter comprises; i. a housing having a body portion adapted to be hand-held; ii. a pressure sensing means situated in the body portion of said housing comprising a pressure sensor element, a microprocessor for analyzing a pressure signal from said sensor element and relaying a corresponding pressure signal to a display means visible on the housing; iii. an elongated catheter tube for insertion into body cavities or vessels having a proximal end connected to said housing, an opposite distal end and a plurality of independent lumens extending longitudinally therethrough such that one of said independent lumens is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor element; and
,iv. a steering means on said hand-held housing for manipulating the direction of the distal end of said catheter tube; and
,b. determining the internal pressure at said point by reading said display means.
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Specification