Subcutaneous radiation reflection probe
First Claim
1. A subcutaneous reflection probe apparatus for measuring E/M radiation from illuminated tissue comprising a probe, said probe comprising;
- a hollow needle having a pointed free end for insertion in the tissue and a base end, with a window formed in a wall of the needle,a radiation emitter means disposed in the hollow of the needle for selectively emitting radiation through the window to illuminate the tissue, the radiation emitter means comprising a radiation generating device positioned at the window,a base element on which the base end of the needle is secured, anda radiation detector means, disposed on the probe and toward the tissue when the free end of the needle is inserted therein, for measuring the radiation from the illuminated tissue, the radiation detector means and the radiation emitter means being positioned with respect to each other so that the radiation detector means is substantially off any optical line-of-sight with the window such that the distance traveled by the radiation between the radiation emitter means and the radiation detector means is longer than any straight-line distance between the radiation emitter means and the radiation detector means and such that the radiation received by the radiation detector means is modulated by the tissue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A subcutaneous radiation reflection probe for measuring oxygen saturation in living tissue includes an elongate drive shaft on one end of which is detachably coupled a mounting cup. The mounting cup includes a hollow for receiving and holding a base element on which is mounted a spiral needle which coils outwardly from the mounting cup to terminate in a pointed end. A window is formed in the spiral needle near the pointed end thereof for receiving and holding a radiation emitter, such as a light emitting diode. A radiation detector is disposed on the base element within the coil of the spiral needle. The probe may be used to measure oxygen saturation in living tissue, such as a fetal scalp, by inserting the mounting cup and drive shaft through an introducer into a woman'"'"'s vagina until the spiral needle contacts the fetal scalp. The drive shaft may then be rotated so that the spiral needle rotates into the scalp, after which energizing pulses are applied to the radiation emitter to cause it to emit radiation and illuminate the fetal scalp tissue into which the needle is inserted. The radiation detector detects a portion of this radiation, depending upon the oxygen saturation of the tissue, and develops a signal to thus provide a measure of the oxygen saturation.
15 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A subcutaneous reflection probe apparatus for measuring E/M radiation from illuminated tissue comprising a probe, said probe comprising;
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a hollow needle having a pointed free end for insertion in the tissue and a base end, with a window formed in a wall of the needle, a radiation emitter means disposed in the hollow of the needle for selectively emitting radiation through the window to illuminate the tissue, the radiation emitter means comprising a radiation generating device positioned at the window, a base element on which the base end of the needle is secured, and a radiation detector means, disposed on the probe and toward the tissue when the free end of the needle is inserted therein, for measuring the radiation from the illuminated tissue, the radiation detector means and the radiation emitter means being positioned with respect to each other so that the radiation detector means is substantially off any optical line-of-sight with the window such that the distance traveled by the radiation between the radiation emitter means and the radiation detector means is longer than any straight-line distance between the radiation emitter means and the radiation detector means and such that the radiation received by the radiation detector means is modulated by the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A subcutaneous reflectance oximeter comprising
an elongate shaft having a grasping end and a probe end, a base mounted on the probe end of the shaft such that the base may be removed from the shaft, a spiral needle mounted on the base to coil outwardly therefrom about an axis which is generally collinear with a long axis of the shaft, said needle terminating in a point and including an opening in a side thereof, light emitting means disposed in the needle for selectively emitting light through the opening into tissue in which the needle is inserted, the light emitting means comprising a light generating device positioned at the opening, and light detecting means, attached to the base, for detecting light reaching the detecting means from illuminated tissue, the opening being positioned on the spiral needle so that the light detecting means is substantially off any optical line-of-sight with the opening and so that light emitted from the light emitting means must travel a path from the light emitting means to the light detecting means which is longer than any straight-line distance between the light emitting means and the light detecting means and such that light received by the light detecting means is modulated by the tissue.
Specification