Devices for fixing a sensor in a lumen

• US 7,572,228 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolinsky, Lone, Ben-Yoseph, Alon, Penner, Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser; Robert L
• Application Number:
  US11/034,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 600/486
• US Class Current: 600/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6886 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

Apparatus for positioning at least one sensor in a body lumen, the apparatus including a fixation element, a sensor, and a connecting element that connects the sensor to the fixation element, the connecting element extending at least partially into the lumen so that the sensor is located radially inward from a wall of the lumen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning within a body lumen having a wall, the apparatus comprising:

a fixation element configured to attach to the lumen wall;

a first sensor adapted to measure blood pressure within the body lumen;

a first elongated connecting element connecting the first sensor to the fixation element, such that, when the fixation element is attached to the lumen wall, the first connecting elements extends from the fixation element at least partially into the lumen so that at least a portion of the first sensor is suspended inwadly away from and located radially inward from the lumen wall such that blood within the body lumen flows between the lumen wall and the first sensor;

a second sensor; and

a second elongated connecting element connecting the second sensor to the fixation element, such that, when the fixation element is disposed within the lumen, the second connecting element extends from the fixation element along a longitudinal axis of the second connecting element at least partially into the lumen so that the second sensor is located radially inward from the lumen wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within the lumen, the first sensor is located at least approximately 0.05 mm away from the lumen wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within the lumen, the first sensor is located less than approximately 0.8 r away from the lumen wall, wherein r represents the lumen radius.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connecting element is connected to the fixation element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second elongated connecting element connecting the first sensor to the fixation element.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within a lumen, the first connecting element at least partially extends in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the lumen, and the second connecting element extends at least partially in a second direction along the longitudinal lumen axis that is substantially opposite the first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors each measure at least one of blood pressure, blood temperature and blood composition.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connecting element is a wire.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within the lumen, the first connecting element includes one or more bends that extend from the fixation element inwardly from the lumen wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within the lumen, a longitudinal axis of the first connecting element is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the lumen.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is disposed on a distal end of the first connecting element.

12. The appartus of claim 1, wherein the first connecting element is resilient.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising another fixation element, wherein the first connecting element connects the first sensor between the fixation element and the other fixation element.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is configured as a stent.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is configured as a coil.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is configured as one of a wing and a hook.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within a lumen, the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned such that they are other than co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the lumen.

18. A method of using the apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

anchoring the fixation element to the lumen wall; and

locating the first sensor radially inward from the lumen wall.

19. An apparatus for positioning within a blood vessel having a vessel wall, comprising:

an expandable, stent-like fixation element configured to radially expand from a collapsed position to an expanded position within the blood vessel, the fixation element adapted to assert a radial force against and contact the vessel wall in the expanded position;

a sensor; and

a plurality of elongated connecting elements connecting the sensor to the fixation element so that the sensor is suspended inwardly away from the vessel wall and positioned at a location between the vessel wall and a center of the blood vessel when the fixation element contacts the vessel wall to allow blood within the blood vessel to flow between the vessel wall and the sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein, when the fixation element is disposed within the blood vessel, the sensor is positioned at least 0.05 mm away from the vessel wall and less than 0.8 r away from the vessel wall, wherein r is the radius of the blood vessel.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure of blood within the vessel.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fixation element is made from at least one of a wire, a laser-cut tube, and a sheet of metal.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fixation element has a coiled configuration or a wing configuration.

24. An apparatus for measuring blood pressure within a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the apparatus comprising:

an expandable, generally cylindrical fixation element configured to radially expand from a collapsed position, capable of delivery and navigation through the blood vessel, to an expanded position within the blood vessel, the fixation element adapted to contact the vessel wall in the expanded position;

a pressure sensor adapted to measure blood pressure within the blood vessel; and

a first connecting element coupling the sensor to the fixation element, such that, when the fixation element contacts the vessel wall in the expanded position, the first contacting element extends from the fixation element at least partially into the blood vessel so that the sensor is suspended inwardly away from the vessel wall and is located between the vessel wall and a center of the blood vessel to allow blood within the blood vessel to flow between the vessel wall and the sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising an energy source coupled to the fixation element and to the pressure sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fixation element has a stent-like configuration.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fixation element has a coiled configuration or a wing configuration.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein substantially all of the fixation element is adapted to contact the vessel wall.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fixation element is made from at least one of a wire, a laser-cut tube, and a sheet of metal.