System and method for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a catheter-mounted heater
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a catheter mounted heating element, comprising:
- a thermodilution catheter having a heating element;
means for supplying and controlling power to the heating element;
means for monitoring the temperature of the heating element;
means for measuring the rate of change of the temperature of the heating element; and
means responsive to the rate of temperature change measurement to control the power supplying means to remove power from the heating element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a heating element in a thermodilution catheter to maintain it within safe physiological limits includes, in the preferred embodiment, a thermodilution catheter having a resistive heating element with a known temperature coefficient of resistance and system elements which (1) supply and control power to the heating element, (2) monitor the temperature of the heating element by monitoring its resistance, (3) determine the rate of change of the temperature of the heating element, and (4) respond to the rate of temperature change measurement by removing power from the heating element. In an alternate, preferred embodiment, the system further comprises a calibration circuit or resistor and circuit elements which (1) control the supply of power to the system, (2) switch power between the calibration circuit or the heating element, (3) determine whether power has been supplied to the calibration circuit, and (4) respond to the power determination to remove power from the system. The system also includes methods of operation for each of the above-referenced system embodiments.
25 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a catheter mounted heating element, comprising:
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a thermodilution catheter having a heating element; means for supplying and controlling power to the heating element; means for monitoring the temperature of the heating element; means for measuring the rate of change of the temperature of the heating element; and means responsive to the rate of temperature change measurement to control the power supplying means to remove power from the heating element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of monitoring and controlling the temperature of a thermodilution catheter mounted heating element, comprising the steps of:
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supplying and controlling power to the heating element; monitoring the temperature of the heating element; measuring the rate of change of the temperature of the heating element; and controlling the supply of power to the heating element in response to the rate of temperature change measurement. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification