Temperature sensor adapter for Foley catheters
AssigneeAlsius Corporation
InventorWayne Noda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Foley catheter has redundant temperature sensors to enable use of the Foley catheter with a patient heating system, such as one relying on a vascular heat exchange catheter. The temperature sensors electronically couple with a control unit, which obtains a primary temperature reading from one of the temperature sensors and obtains a secondary temperature reading from the other temperature. The control unit compares the primary and secondary temperature reading to determine a sensor temperature difference. When the sensor temperature difference exceeds a predetermined value, then the control unit activates an alarm, shuts down the patient heating system, or both.
Claims20
A Foley catheter having redundant temperature sensors, comprising:
- a catheter body with a proximal end and a distal end;
- an inflatable balloon disposed near the distal end;
- an inflation lumen extending from the proximal end to the balloon for inflating and deflating the balloon;
- a drainage lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end;
- at least one temperature sensor lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end;
- and
- two temperature sensors, each temperature sensor having a sensor element disposed in the distal end of the catheter body and a wire extending from each sensor element to the proximal end of the catheter body via the temperature sensor lumen.
A method of using a Foley catheter with redundant temperature sensors, comprising:
- introducing a Foley catheter into the bladder of a patient, the Foley catheter includes catheter body with a proximal end, a distal end a drainage lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end for draining urine from the bladder, and redundant temperature sensors;
- draining urine from the bladder via the drainage lumen;
- electronically coupling the temperature sensors to a control unit;
- activating the control unit to obtain a primary temperature reading and a secondary temperature reading from the temperature sensors.
A method for measuring and regulating patient temperature comprising:
- introducing a heat exchange catheter into the vasculature of a patient;
- introducing a Foley catheter having redundant temperature sensors into the bladder of the patient;
- draining urine from the bladder via the drainage lumen;
- electronically connecting a control unit with the temperature sensors;
- measuring patient core body temperature with the temperature sensors;
- and
- determining if one of the temperature sensors has failed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.