System and method for measuring fluidics in arteries
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing measurements in an artery, comprising:
- a Doppler transducer;
a wire, capable of carrying an electrical signal along a length of the wire, the wire having a distal end connected to the Doppler transducer at a distal portion of the wire, and the wire having a proximal end;
a first connector having an opening through which the wire would pass during operation of the apparatus;
a second connector at the proximal end of the wire, suitable for electrical connections to the wire;
a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and having a conduit therein for containing portions of the wire;
an enclosing sleeve having a first position and a second position wherein, when in the first position, the enclosing sleeve encloses substantially all of the wire save for the distal portion of the wire connected to the Doppler transducer, and wherein, when in the second position, the enclosing sleeve does not enclose a majority of the wire and unenclosed portions of the wire would pass into the conduit of the catheter body;
a third connector attached to the catheter body at the proximal end of the catheter body, shaped to mate with the first connector to form a stable connection between the catheter body and the enclosing sleeve;
wherein, after the stable connection has been formed, the wire and Doppler transducer are movable in the conduit through the stable connection with movement of the Doppler transducer being from around the proximal end of the catheter body to beyond the distal end of the catheter body, whereby the Doppler transducer can emerge outside the conduit at the distal end of the catheter body for performing ultrasound measurements in the artery; and
wherein the enclosing sleeve provides a barrier between the wire and an environment when the wire is withdrawn from the catheter body.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for performing measurements in an artery includes a Doppler catheter, comprising a Doppler transducer and a wire connected to the Doppler transducer; and an elongated catheter body having a conduit therein for housing the wire of the Doppler catheter. The body has a proximal end and a distal end; wherein the wire is movable in the conduit relative to the catheter body so that the Doppler transducer and the wire are capable of being threaded into said conduit at the proximal end after the distal end of the catheter has been inserted into the artery, until the Doppler transducer emerges outside the conduit at the distal end of said body for performing ultrasound measurements in the artery. Another embodiment employs at least an additional side transducer for measuring the cross-sectional dimension of the artery useful for computing blood flow.
17 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for performing measurements in an artery, comprising:
-
a Doppler transducer; a wire, capable of carrying an electrical signal along a length of the wire, the wire having a distal end connected to the Doppler transducer at a distal portion of the wire, and the wire having a proximal end; a first connector having an opening through which the wire would pass during operation of the apparatus; a second connector at the proximal end of the wire, suitable for electrical connections to the wire; a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and having a conduit therein for containing portions of the wire; an enclosing sleeve having a first position and a second position wherein, when in the first position, the enclosing sleeve encloses substantially all of the wire save for the distal portion of the wire connected to the Doppler transducer, and wherein, when in the second position, the enclosing sleeve does not enclose a majority of the wire and unenclosed portions of the wire would pass into the conduit of the catheter body; a third connector attached to the catheter body at the proximal end of the catheter body, shaped to mate with the first connector to form a stable connection between the catheter body and the enclosing sleeve; wherein, after the stable connection has been formed, the wire and Doppler transducer are movable in the conduit through the stable connection with movement of the Doppler transducer being from around the proximal end of the catheter body to beyond the distal end of the catheter body, whereby the Doppler transducer can emerge outside the conduit at the distal end of the catheter body for performing ultrasound measurements in the artery; and wherein the enclosing sleeve provides a barrier between the wire and an environment when the wire is withdrawn from the catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus for performing measurements in an artery, comprising:
-
a Doppler transducer; a second transducer; a wire set comprising a plurality of wires, capable of carrying an electrical signal along a length of the wire set, the wire set having a proximal end and having a distal end with at least one wire of the wire set connected to the Doppler transducer at a distal portion of the wire set and at least one other wire of the wire set connected to the second transducer at the distal portion of the wire set; a first connector having an opening through which the wire set would pass during operation of the apparatus; a second connector at the proximal end of the wire set, suitable for electrical connections to connected wires of the plurality of wires; a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and having a conduit therein for containing portions of the wire set; an enclosing sleeve having a first position and a second position wherein, when in the first position, the enclosing sleeve encloses substantially all of the wire set save for the distal portion of the wire set connected to the Doppler transducer and the second transducer, and wherein, when in the second position, the enclosing sleeve does not enclose a majority of the wire set and unenclosed portions of the wire set would pass into the conduit of the catheter body; a third connector attached to the catheter body at the proximal end of the catheter body, shaped to mate with the first connector to form a stable connection between the catheter body and the enclosing sleeve; wherein, after the stable connection has been formed, the wire set, the Doppler transducer and the second transducer are movable in the conduit through the stable connection with movement of the Doppler transducer and the second transducer being from around the proximal end of the catheter body to beyond the distal end of the catheter body, whereby the Doppler transducer and the second transducer can emerge outside the conduit at the distal end of the catheter body for performing ultrasound measurements in the artery after the distal end of the catheter body has been inserted into the artery for performing ultrasound measurement in the artery and measurement of a cross-sectional dimension of the artery; and wherein the enclosing sleeve provides a barrier between the wire set and an environment when the wire set is withdrawn from the catheter body.
-
-
19. A method for performing measurements in an artery, comprising:
-
providing a Doppler transducer and a wire capable of carrying an electrical signal along a length of the wire, the wire having a distal end connected to the Doppler transducer at a distal portion of the wire, and the wire having a proximal end; inserting, into a patient, a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and having a conduit therein for containing portions of the wire; moving an enclosing sleeve from a first position to a second position, the first position being wherein the enclosing sleeve encloses substantially all of the wire save for the distal portion of the wire connected to the Doppler transducer, and the second position being wherein the enclosing sleeve does not enclose a majority of the wire and unenclosed portions of the wire would pass into the conduit of the catheter body, while the wire is sterile and the enclosing sleeve provides a barrier between the wire and an environment at least in the first position; wherein moving the enclosing sleeve from the first position to the second position moves the wire and Doppler transducer in the conduit; positioning the wire such that the Doppler transducer emerges outside the conduit at the distal end of the catheter body for performing ultrasound measurements in the artery; and making an ultrasound measurement. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification