Capsule and method for treating or diagnosing conditions or diseases of the intestinal tract
First Claim
1. A method for diagnosing an inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder comprising:
- providing an autonomous capsule comprising an impedance sensor for implementation within a gastrointestinal tract, wherein the impedance sensor is configured to detect an electrical impedance by providing a voltage across two electrodes of the sensor, the capsule further comprising a deployment mechanism wrapped at least partially around the capsule which is expandable to bring the two electrodes of the impedance sensor into contact with a wall of the gastrointestinal tract to detect the electrical impedance;
sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more impedances at a first impedance location within the gastrointestinal tract while the capsule is being tracked by providing at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the first impedance location, each at least one voltage having a frequency between 10 kHz and 100 Hz which is different from the other at least one voltages;
sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more impedances at a second impedance location within the gastrointestinal tract while the capsule is being tracked by providing the at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the second impedance location;
determining, for each voltage of the at least one voltages, whether the sensed impedance at the first impedance location is different from the sensed impedance at the second impedance location by more than a predetermined difference; and
in response to determining, for a voltage of the at least one voltages, that a sensed impedance at the first impedance location is different from a sensed impedance at the second impedance location by more than the predetermined difference, spraying, from the autonomous capsule, a marking agent on the second impedance location, the marking agent to pinpoint the second impedance location for at least one of diagnosis or surgery.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating inflammatory disorders (such as Crohn'"'"'s disease) or other diseases, disorders or conditions of the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule'"'"'s location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of sensed impedance and or temperature may be derived from the pass of a capsule to diagnose the disorder or disease. The capsule or subsequently passed capsules may treat, further diagnose, or mark the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for diagnosing an inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder comprising:
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providing an autonomous capsule comprising an impedance sensor for implementation within a gastrointestinal tract, wherein the impedance sensor is configured to detect an electrical impedance by providing a voltage across two electrodes of the sensor, the capsule further comprising a deployment mechanism wrapped at least partially around the capsule which is expandable to bring the two electrodes of the impedance sensor into contact with a wall of the gastrointestinal tract to detect the electrical impedance; sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more impedances at a first impedance location within the gastrointestinal tract while the capsule is being tracked by providing at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the first impedance location, each at least one voltage having a frequency between 10 kHz and 100 Hz which is different from the other at least one voltages; sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more impedances at a second impedance location within the gastrointestinal tract while the capsule is being tracked by providing the at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the second impedance location; determining, for each voltage of the at least one voltages, whether the sensed impedance at the first impedance location is different from the sensed impedance at the second impedance location by more than a predetermined difference; and in response to determining, for a voltage of the at least one voltages, that a sensed impedance at the first impedance location is different from a sensed impedance at the second impedance location by more than the predetermined difference, spraying, from the autonomous capsule, a marking agent on the second impedance location, the marking agent to pinpoint the second impedance location for at least one of diagnosis or surgery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for diagnosing a gastrointestinal disorder, comprising:
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providing an autonomous capsule comprising an impedance sensor to a patient, the autonomous capsule for implementation within a patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, wherein the impedance sensor is configured to detect an electrical impedance by providing a voltage across two electrodes of the sensor, the capsule further comprising a deployment mechanism wrapped at least partially around the capsule which is expandable to bring the two electrodes of the impedance sensor into contact with a wall of the gastrointestinal tract to detect the electrical impedance; sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more impedance values for a first location in the gastrointestinal tract by providing at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the first impedance location, each at least one voltage having a frequency between 10 kHz and 100 Hz which is different from the other at least one voltages; sensing, with the impedance sensor, one or more second impedance values for a second location in the gastrointestinal tract by providing the at least one voltage across the two electrodes at the second impedance location; computing, for each voltage of the at least one voltages, an impedance difference between the first impedance value and the second impedance value; and determining a location of the gastrointestinal disorder by comparing the impedance differences with a first predetermined value; and in response to determining the location of the gastrointestinal disorder, spraying, from the autonomous capsule, a marking agent on the determined location, the marking agent to pinpoint the determined location for at least one of diagnosis or surgery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification