Gas column pressure monitoring catheters
DCFirst Claim
1. A gas-column catheter for monitoring intravascular pressure within the vein or artery of a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body;
a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body;
a gas-filled membrane-wailed chamber at a fast location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body and to monitor said intravascular pressure, said chamber being defined at least in pan by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that;
an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen;
and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen;
said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in intravascular pressure exerted within the vein or artery and against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and
a catheter-inflating connector apparatus connectable to said catheter, said apparatus being constructed such that connection of said catheter thereto will automatically cause a prescribed volume of gas to be entrapped within said catheter.
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Abstract
A gas-column pressure measuring catheter which is insertable into a mammalian body for purposes of transmitting pressure changes from a location within the mammalian body to a pressure sensor which is either incorporated into, or connected to, the catheter. In a preferred embodiment, the gas-column pressure measuring catheter comprises an elongate catheter body having a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber positioned on the catheter body in communication with the gas-filled lumen such that pressure changes exerted against the outer surface of the membrane-walled chamber will result in the transmission of pressure changes through the gas-filled catheter lumen. The gas-filled membrane-walled chamber may be located on the side wall of the catheter body, or may be located on the distal end of the catheter body. The invention includes methods for measuring various intracorporeal pressures using gas-column pressure measuring catheters, including methods for measuring blood pressure, intracranial pressure, intrauterine pressure, pulmonary artery pressures, and other intravascular or intracomparmental pressures. The invention also provides means and methods for replenishing gas lost by diffusion out of the membrane-walled chamber,
314 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A gas-column catheter for monitoring intravascular pressure within the vein or artery of a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body; a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body; a gas-filled membrane-wailed chamber at a fast location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body and to monitor said intravascular pressure, said chamber being defined at least in pan by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in intravascular pressure exerted within the vein or artery and against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and a catheter-inflating connector apparatus connectable to said catheter, said apparatus being constructed such that connection of said catheter thereto will automatically cause a prescribed volume of gas to be entrapped within said catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A gas-column catheter insertable into the vein or artery of a mammalian body for monitoring intravascular pressure changes within said mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface having an outer diameter and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body; a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter body and terminating distally in an aperture at the distal end of said catheter body, said lumen being sized to contain therein a fixed volume of gas; a first gas-filled membrane-walled chamber located on the distal end of said catheter body and in gaseous communication with said lumen through said aperture, said first membrane-wailed chamber being defined at least in pan by a bulbous membrane mounted on and extending distally from the distal end of said catheter body and being of a size and shape to fit within the vein or artery of said mammalian body and to monitor said intravascular pressure, said membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, said membrane being flaccid and substantially non-elastic when in its fully gas-filled operative configuration, such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will compress said membrane causing a decrease in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding increase in the pressure of air within said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to decompress, thereby causing an increase in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding decrease in the pressure of air within said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in intravascular pressure exerted within the vein or artery and against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and
a catheter-inflating connector apparatus connectable to said catheter, said apparatus being constructed such that connection of said catheter thereto will automatically cause a prescribed volume of gas to be entrapped within said catheter. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A gas-column catheter for monitoring pressure within a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface;
a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body;a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber at a fast location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen, said chamber being defined at least in part by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including means for absorbing moisture which may accumulate within said gas-filled lumen. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A gas-column catheter insertable into a mammalian body for monitoring pressure changes within said mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface having an outer diameter; a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter body and terminating distally in an aperture at the distal end of said catheter body, said lumen being sized to contain therein a fixed volume of gas; a fast gas-filled membrane-walled chamber located on the distal end of said catheter body and in gaseous communication with said lumen through said aperture, said fast membrane-walled chamber being defined at least in part by a bulbous membrane mounted on and extending distally from the distal end of said catheter body, said membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, said membrane being flaccid and substantially non-elastic when in its fully gas-filled operative configuration, such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will compress said membrane causing a decrease in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding increase in the pressure of air within said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to decompress, thereby causing an increase in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding decrease in the pressure of air within said lumen; and said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including means for absorbing moisture from said gas filled lumen. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A gas-column catheter insertable into a mammalian body for monitoring pressure changes within said mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface having an outer diameter;
,a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter body and terminating distally in an aperture at the distal end of said catheter body, said lumen being sized to contain therein a fixed volume of gas; a fast gas-filled membrane-walled chamber located on the distal end of said catheter body and in gaseous communication with said lumen through said aperture, said fast membrane-walled chamber being defined at least in pan by a bulbous membrane mounted on and extending distally from the distal end of said catheter body, said membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, said membrane being flaccid and substantially non-elastic when in its fully gas-filled operative configuration, such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will compress said membrane causing a decrease in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding increase in the pressure of air within said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to decompress, thereby causing an increase in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding decrease in the pressure of air within said lumen; and said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including means for means for preventing condensation of moisture within at least a portion of said gas-filled lumen.
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46. A gas-column catheter for monitoring pressure within a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface;
a gas filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body;a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber at a first location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen, said chamber being defined at least in pan by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including means for means for preventing condensation of moisture within at least a portion of said gas-filled lumen.
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47. A gas-colunm catheter for monitoring pressure within a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface;
a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body;a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber at a first location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen, said chamber being defined at least in pan by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including a catheter-inflating connector apparatus connectable to said catheter, said apparatus being constructed such that connection of said catheter thereto will automatically cause a prescribed volume of gas to be entrapped within said catheter. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A gas-column catheter for monitoring pressure within a mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface;
a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through at least a portion of said catheter body;a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber at a fast location on said catheter body, said chamber being in gaseous communication with said lumen, said chamber being defined at least in part by a flaccid membrane having an inner surface and an outer surface, said membrane being configured and positioned such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will cause said membrane to move inwardly, thereby increasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to move outwardly, thereby decreasing the pressure of gas within said chamber and said lumen; said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and said catheter further including a catheter-inflating apparatus for passing make-up gas into said gas filled lumen for replenishing gas which is lost from said catheter said apparatus including a diffusive make-up gas system coupled to said gas-filled lumen for replenishing gas which is lost from said catheter through outward diffusion, said diffusive make up gas system comprising a gas-filled reservoir containing gas at a pressure which exceeds the pressure of gas within the catheter lumen;
a gas flow pathway through which gas may flow from said reservoir into said catheter lumen; and
a membranous diffusion barrier disposed with said gas flow pathway such that gas flowing from said reservoir into said lumen must pass through said membranous barrier. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A gas-column catheter insertable into a mammalian body for monitoring pressure changes within said mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface having an outer diameter, a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter body and terminating distally in an aperture at the distal end of said catheter body, said lumen being sized to contain therein a fixed volume of gas; a first gas-filled membrane-walled chamber located on the distal end of said catheter body and in gaseous communication with said lumen through said aperture, said first membrane-walled chamber being defined at least in part by a bulbous membrane mounted on and extending distally from the distal end of said catheter body, said membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, said membrane being flaccid and substantially non-elastic when in its fully gas-filled operative configuration, such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will compress said membrane causing a decrease in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding increase in the pressure of air within said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to decompress, thereby causing an increase in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding decrease in the pressure of air within said lumen; and said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and a catheter-inflating connector apparatus connectable to said catheter, said apparatus being constructed such that connection of said catheter thereto will automatically cause a prescribed volume of gas to be entrapped within said catheter.
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55. A gas-column catheter insertable into a mammalian body for monitoring pressure changes within said mammalian body, said catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface having an outer diameter; a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter body and terminating distally in an aperture at the distal end of said catheter body, said lumen being sized to contain therein a fixed volume of gas; a fast gas-fried membrane-walled chamber located on the distal end of said catheter body and in gaseous communication with said lumen through said aperture, said first membrane-walled chamber being defined at least in part by a bulbous membrane mounted on and extending distally from the distal end of said catheter body, said membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, said membrane being flaccid and substantially non-elastic when in its fully gas-filled operative configuration, such that; an increase in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will compress said membrane causing a decrease in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding increase in the pressure of air within said lumen; and a decrease in pressure against the outer surface of said membrane will allow said membrane to decompress, thereby causing an increase in the volume of air within said chamber and a corresponding decrease in the pressure of air within said lumen; and said gas filled lumen being thereby operable to transmit, in the proximal direction, changes in pressure exerted against the outer surface of said flaccid membrane; and an apparatus for passing make-up gas into said gas-filled lumen for replenishing gas which is lost from said catheter, said apparatus including it diffusive make-up gas system coupled to said gas-filled lumen for replenishing gas which is lost from said catheter through outward diffusion, said diffusive make up gas system comprising a gas-filled reservoir containing gas at a pressure which exceeds the pressure of gas within the catheter lumen;
a gas flow pathway through which gas may flow from said reservoir into said catheter lumen; and
a membranous diffusion barrier disposed within said gas flow pathway such that gas flowing from said reservoir into said lumen must pass through said membranous barrier.
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Specification