Ultrasonic apparatus and method to assess compartment syndrome

• US 20050215898A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: U.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Inventors: Ueno, Toshiaki, Yost, William T., Hargens, Alan R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,491,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/438
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/916 Ultrasound 3-D imaging

Abstract

A process and apparatus for measuring pressure buildup in a body compartment that encases muscular tissue. The method includes assessing the body compartment configuration and identifying the effect of pulsatible components on compartment dimensions and muscle tissue characteristics. This process is used in preventing tissue necrosis, and in decisions of whether to perform surgery on the body compartment for prevention of Compartment Syndrome. An apparatus is used for measuring pressure build-up in the body compartment having components for imparting ultrasonic waves such as a transducer, placing the transducer to impart the ultrasonic waves, capturing the imparted ultrasonic waves, mathematically manipulating the captured ultrasonic waves and categorizing pressure build-up in the body compartment from the mathematical manipulations.

Claims

1. A process for measuring pressure buildup in one or more body compartments that encases muscular tissue, comprising the steps of:

assessing a body compartment configuration; and

,

identifying the effect of pulsatile components on at least one dimension of the body compartment.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of assessing a body compartment configuration comprises means for activation and reception of ultrasonic waves.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of assessing a body compartment configuration comprises identifying characteristics of the body compartment selected from the group consisting of the blood vessel network, compartment boundary and combinations thereof.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the step of assessing a body compartment configuration comprises identifying blood vessel network characteristics of the body compartment through a broadband ultrasonic transmit/receive transducer.

5. The process of claim 3, wherein the step of assessing a body compartment configuration comprises identifying compartment boundary characteristics of the body compartment through a pure-tone ultrasonic transmit/receive transducer.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the effect of pulsatible components on the at least one dimension of the body compartment includes means for capturing temporal reception of ultrasonic waves.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the means for capturing temporal reception of ultrasonic waves includes means for processing the temporal reception of ultrasonic waves.

8. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the body compartment at maximum distension prior to assessing the body compartment configuration.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the body compartment comprises a tubular shaped collagenous membrane selected from the group consisting of arm, leg, other muscle groups and combinations thereof.

10. A method for preventing tissue necrosis comprising the process of claim 1.

11. An incision product produced by determining the presence of Compartment Syndrome from the process of claim 1.

12. A non-incision product produced by determining the absence of Compartment Syndrome from the process of claim 1.

13. An apparatus for measuring pressure build-up in one or more body compartments that encases muscular tissue, comprising:

(a) a transmitting device for imparting ultrasonic waves into the one or more body compartments;

(b) means for positioning the transducer adjacent to the one or more body compartments effective for imparting ultrasonic waves therein;

(c) means for capturing reflections of the imparted ultrasonic waves and converting the reflected waves into electrical signals;

(d) means for mathematically manipulating the electrical signals; and

,

(e) means for categorizing pressure build-up in the one or more body compartments from the mathematical manipulations.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transmitting device comprises a transducer.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for placing the transducer comprises a gel.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for capturing comprises a retention means selected from the group consisting of storage, display, analysis and combinations thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mathematical manipulation of the electrical signals comprises Fourier Transform manipulation.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for categorizing pressure build-up further comprises means for identifying a decrease in the captured imparted ultrasonic waves.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for categorizing pressure build-up further comprises means for identifying a ratio of low-frequency amplitudes to high frequency amplitudes present in the mathematical manipulation.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein categorizing pressure build-up in one or more body compartment comprises a body compartment selected from the group consisting of arms, legs, other muscle groups and combinations thereof.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for capturing comprises a receiver.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for categorizing pressure build-up comprises means for assessing a body compartment configuration and identifying the effect of pulsatile components on at least one dimension of the body compartment.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for categorizing pressure build-up further comprises a time-reversal technique.

24. An apparatus for measuring pressure build-up in one or more body compartments that encases muscular tissue, comprising:

(a) a transmitting device for imparting ultrasonic waves into the one or more body compartments;

(b) means for positioning the transducer adjacent to the one or more body compartments effective for imparting ultrasonic waves therein;

(c) a receiver for capturing reflections of the imparted ultrasonic waves;

(d) means for mathematically manipulating the ultrasonic waves captured by the receiver; and

,

(e) means for categorizing pressure build-up in the one or more body compartments from the mathematical manipulations.