Method and device for determining tension in ligaments and tendons

• US 7,610,080 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wintec LLC (ESCO Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wintec LLC (ESCO Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chou, Nee-Yin, Winchester, Leonard W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kish; James
• Application Number:
  US10/703,436
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• Field of Search: 600/473, 600/476, 600/477, 600/407
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4523 Tendons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4533 Ligaments

Abstract

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy methods are used to assess the tension of ligaments, tendons and other tissue. The device includes an electromagnetic radiation source for directing radiation energy onto a sample, either directly or using a probe. Between the radiation source and the sample, emitted electromagnetic energies pass through a filtering device and are directed to the sample using optical components such as mirrors, lenses and optical fibers. After impacting the tissue, scattered emissions are collected by a collecting lens at a predetermined geometry. The scattered emissions are collected by a collection means such as lens and optical fibers directed to another filtering device and a spectrum-analyzing device, and detected with a photon-detecting device. The collected scattering signals are analyzed using a computing device such as a computer or a microprocessor. The tension in the tissue is obtained from the analysis of the scattered emissions.

Claims

1. A method of determining tension in tissues comprising:

providing a sample tissue for analysis,

providing a photon source,

providing a means of delivering an incident photon energy and a means of delivering collected photon energy,

providing an optical probe for placing in optical contact with the tissue sample,

passing photon source emissions through a first filter and onto a mirror,

redirecting the photon source emissions off the mirror, through a focusing lens and onto the sample,

collecting first and second scattered emissions from the tissue in a collecting lens,

passing the first and second scattered emissions through a second filter and into a spectrometer,

measuring the first and second scattered emissions with a photodetector,

analyzing the first and second scattered emissions with a computing device and determining peaks, and

calculating and outputting the tension in the tissue by analyzing frequency shifts in the peaks of the first and second scattered emissions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tension is determined in fiber tissues.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein tension is determined in vivo in tissues.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein tension is determined in vitro in tissues.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein tension is determined in grafted tissue in animals and humans.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the photon source comprises providing an infrared laser, with wavelengths longer than 700 nm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the photon source is comprises providing a visible light laser.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the photon source is a broadband infrared source, from 1 to 10 micrometers, and further comprising using IR absorption spectroscopy to determine tension in tissues selected from a group consisting of in vivo tissues and in vitro tissues.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the scattered emissions through the spectrometer comprises passing through a scanning spectrometer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein passing through the scanning spectrometer comprises passing through a point detector.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein passing through the point detector comprises passing through a photomultiplier tube.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein passing through the point detector comprises passing through a photodiode.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the scattered emissions through the spectrometer comprises passing though a non-scanning spectrometer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein passing through the non-scanning spectrometer comprises passing through an array detector.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein passing through the first filter comprises passing through a narrow bandpass filter centered at the photon source wavelength.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein passing through the first filter comprises eliminating fluorescent, plasma lines, laser lines and other undesired electromagnetic radiation from the photon source emission beam.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the scattered emissions through the second filter comprises passing through a photon source blocking filter used to reduce the intensity of Raleigh-scattered light.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer controls the spectrometer scan speed.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises computer displays of the calculated tension.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising using Raman spectroscopy for examining the relation between applied stress and tension in a graft during the conditioning of the tissue prior to implantation.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the calculated tension.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing the tissue into bone attachment sites, wherein the tension is calculated as the tissue is secured into bone attachment sites.

23. A method of measuring tension in ligaments or tendons comprising:

illuminating a ligament or tendon with electromagnetic radiation thereby reflecting and scattering electromagnetic radiation from the ligament or tendon,

collecting the scattered electromagnetic radiation with a collecting means,

detecting Raman scattered electromagnetic radiation,

receiving the Raman scattered electromagnetic radiation from the collecting means in a spectrometer,

analyzing the Raman scattered electromagnetic radiation,

computing the effects of Raman scattering induced by tension in the ligament or tendon by determining peaks and

calculating the tension in the tissue from analysis of two or more frequency shifted peaks.

24. An apparatus for determining tension in tissues comprising:

a photon source for directing energy onto a sample, wherein photons are emitted and passed through a first filter and onto a mirror, the photons are then redirected by the mirror through a focusing lens and onto the sample,

a means of delivering an incident photon energy and a means of delivering collected photon energy,

a collecting lens for collecting scattered emissions from the sample,

a second filter for receiving the scattered emission from the collecting lens,

a spectrometer for receiving the scattered emissions from the second filter,

a photodetector for measuring the scattered emissions,

a computer programmed for measuring and analyzing tension in the tissue by calculations from analyses of two or more frequency shifts using Raman spectroscopy, and

a display showing tension in the sample.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the photon source is an infrared laser, with wavelengths longer than 700 nm.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the photon source is a visible light laser.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the photon source is a broadband infrared source, from 1 to 10 micrometers, and further comprising determining with IR absorption spectroscopy tension in tissues, in vivo tissue and in vitro tissue.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the spectrometer is a scanning spectrometer.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the scanning spectrometer comprises a point detector.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the point detector is a photomultiplier tube.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the point detector is a photodiode.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the spectrometer is a non-scanning spectrometer.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the non-scamming spectrometer comprises an array detector.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first filter is a narrow bandpass filter centered at the photon source wavelength.

35. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first filter eliminates fluorescent, plasma lines, laser lines and other undesired electromagnetic radiation from the photon source emission beam.

36. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second filter is a photon source blocking filter used to reduce the intensity of Raleigh-scattered light.

37. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the computer controls the spectrometer scan speed.

38. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising computer displays of the results of Raman spectroscopy.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the results of the Raman spectroscopy provide the relation between applied stress and tension in a graft during the conditioning of the sample prior to implantation.

40. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a display for displaying the calculated tension.

41. An apparatus for determining tension in ligaments and tendons, comprising:

a source for supplying an electromagnetic incident beam on a sample ligament or tendon,

a receiver for collecting and receiving reflected and first and second Raman scattered electromagnetic emissions from the sample ligament or tendon,

a spectrometer and a photodetector connected to the receiver for detecting and analyzing the first and second Raman scattered electromagnetic emissions,

a computer or microprocessor programmed for evaluating the first and second Raman scattered electromagnetic emissions to determine peaks and calculating an output corresponding to tension in the ligament or tendon from an analysis of a frequency shift of the peaks, and

a display for displaying the output.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising a display for displaying the calculated tension.