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Thermodilution catheter having a safe, flexible heating element

  • US 5,857,976 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1995
  • Issued: 01/12/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A thermodilution catheter apparatus for making a thermodilution measurement, comprising:

  • a flexible tubular catheter member adapted for introduction into a blood vessel of a patient, said catheter member having at least one lumen;

    a flexible heating filament disposed with respect to said catheter member so as not to touch the patient'"'"'s blood when said catheter member is inserted into a blood vessel, the heating filament capable of being heated to apply a predetermined quantity of heat to blood in said blood vessel;

    temperature detecting means for detecting downstream temperature variations of said blood as a result of the application of said predetermined quantity of heat to said blood;

    means for providing a thermodilution measurement based on the detected temperature variations; and

    wherein said heating filament can be slidably received into said at least one lumen.

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