Apparatus and method for performing thermal and laser doppler velocimetry measurements

• US 6,716,178 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Ainsworth, Robert D., Ellis, Jeffrey T., Kilpatrick, Deborah, Lee, Jeong S., Hurley, Bridget A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/872,299
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 600/504, 600/505, 600/310, 600/342-343, 600/478, 356/28.5, 374/121, 604/523
• US Class Current: 600/504
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/027 using catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms

Abstract

A therapeutic intravascular device and method for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements. In one embodiment, the therapeutic intravascular device includes an elongated member having first and second optical fibers longitudinally disposed therethrough, the first optical fiber for performing a laser Doppler velocity measurement of a fluid within a body lumen, the second optical fiber for performing a temperature measurement within the body lumen.

Claims

1. A therapeutic medical device for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements comprising:

an elongated member;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated member to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within the body lumen; and

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated member to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen.

2. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein distal ends of the first and second optical fibers are exposed within a vasculature of a patient at least at a one location along the therapeutic medical device.

3. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second optical fibers is fixedly coupled to the elongated member at least at a one location along the therapeutic medical device.

4. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein a proximal end of the first optical fiber is coupled to a laser Doppler velocimetry system.

5. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein a proximal end of the second optical fiber is coupled to an optical detector and a distal section of the second optical fiber has a Bragg diffraction grating formed thereon to perform the temperature measurement within the body lumen.

6. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein the elongated member has a treatment lumen selected from the group consisting of guidewire lumen, inflation lumen, radiation source lumen, drug delivery lumen, atherectomy device lumen and laparoscopy lumen.

7. The therapeutic medical device of claim 1 wherein the laser Doppler velocimetry measurement and the temperature measurement are performed simultaneously within the body lumen.

8. A catheter for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements, the catheter comprising:

an elongated shaft comprising a tubular inner member having a first lumen therethrough and an outer member disposed about the tubular inner member; and

first and second optical fibers longitudinally disposed through the first lumen of the tubular inner member,

the first optical fiber to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen,

the second optical fiber to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen.

9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein distal ends of the first and second optical fibers are exposed within a vasculature of a patient at least at one location along the catheter.

10. The catheter of claim 8 wherein a proximal end of the first optical fiber is coupled to a laser Doppler velocimetry system.

11. The catheter of claim 8 wherein a proximal end of the second optical fiber is coupled to an optical detector and a distal section of the second optical fiber has a Bragg diffraction grating formed thereon.

12. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the tubular inner member has a second lumen longitudinally disposed therethrough.

13. The catheter of claim 12 wherein the second lumen is selected from the group consisting of guidewire lumen, inflation lumen, radiation source lumen, drug delivery lumen, atherectomy device lumen and laparoscopy lumen.

14. The catheter of claim 8 further comprises an expandable member coupled to a distal portion of the elongated tubular shaft.

15. The catheter of claim 13 wherein the expandable member is a balloon.

16. A guidewire for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements comprising:

an elongated guidewire body comprising a distal core section axially coupled to a proximal core section, the elongated guidewire body having a lumen therethrough;

an atraumatic distal tip formed at a distal end of the distal core section;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen; and

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen.

17. The guidewire of claim 16 wherein the guidewire is operatively coupled to a medical device to perform a therapeutic treatment.

18. The guidewire of claim 16 wherein a proximal end of the first optical fiber is coupled to a laser Doppler velocimetry system, a proximal end of the second optical fiber is coupled to an optical detector and a distal section of the second optical fiber has a Bragg diffraction grating formed thereon.

19. A guidewire for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements comprising:

an elongated guidewire body comprising a distal core section axially coupled to a proximal core section, the elongated guidewire body having a lumen therethrough;

an atraumatic distal tip formed at a distal end of the distal core section;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen;

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen; and

a connecting member coupling a distal end of the proximal core section to a proximal end of the distal core section.

20. A guidewire for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements comprising:

an elongated guidewire body comprising a distal core section axially coupled to a proximal core section, the elongated guidewire body having a lumen therethrough;

an atraumatic distal tip formed at a distal end of the distal core section;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen;

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen; and

a flexible coil disposed about the distal core section of the elongated guidewire body, the flexible coil coupled to at least one point along the distal core section.

21. A guidewire for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements comprising:

an elongated guidewire body comprising a distal core section axially coupled to a proximal core section, the elongated guidewire body having a lumen therethrough;

an atraumatic distal tip formed at a distal end of the distal core section;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen;

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the elongated guidewire body to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen; and

a shaping ribbon coupled to the distal core section.

22. A system for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements, the system comprising:

a laser Doppler velocimetry apparatus comprising a laser light source and an LDV detector coupled to a data processing system;

an optical detector coupled to the data processing system; and

a catheter coupled to the laser Doppler velocimetry apparatus and the optical detector, the catheter comprising an elongated shaft comprising a tubular inner member having a first lumen therethrough and an outer member disposed about the tubular inner member;

the catheter further comprising first and second optical fibers longitudinally disposed through the first lumen of the tubular inner member, the first optical fiber to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen, the second optical fiber to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the tubular inner member has a second lumen longitudinally disposed therethrough, the second lumen being selected from the group consisting of guidewire lumen, inflation lumen, radiation source lumen, drug delivery lumen, atherectomy device lumen and laparoscopy lumen.

24. A method for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements, the method comprising:

inserting a therapeutic medical device into a vasculature of a patient, the therapeutic medical device comprising an elongated member having first and second optical fibers longitudinally disposed therethrough, the first optical fiber to perform a laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of a fluid within a body lumen, the second optical fiber to perform a temperature measurement within the body lumen;

advancing the therapeutic medical device to a location in the vasculature;

operating a data processing system coupled to the therapeutic medical device to transmit a plurality of light radiation signals to the location in the vasculature and a plurality of reflected light radiation signals to a detector in the data processing system; and

processing the plurality of reflected light radiation signals to perform thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the therapeutic medical device is a catheter.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the therapeutic medical device is a guidewire operatively coupled to a catheter or a stent delivery system.

27. A catheter for performing thermal and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements, the catheter comprising:

an elongated shaft comprising a tubular inner member having first and second lumens therethrough and an outer member disposed about the tubular inner member, the second lumen being selected from the group consisting of guidewire lumen, inflation lumen, radiation source lumen, drug delivery lumen, atherectomy device lumen and laparoscopy lumen;

at least a first optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the first lumen of the tubular inner member, the first optical fiber having a proximal end coupled to a laser Doppler velocimetry apparatus and a distal end exposed to a vasculature of a patient; and

at least a second optical fiber longitudinally disposed through the first lumen of the tubular inner member, the second optical fiber having a proximal end coupled to an optical detector and a distal end having a Bragg diffraction grating formed thereon.