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US 2021/0059635 A1Published application
Trans-esophageal tonometry
AssigneeMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
InventorsPeter M. Pollak, Michael B. Wallace, Charles J. Bruce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices described herein can be used to directly measure left atrial pressure. For example, this document describes multiple embodiments of catheter-based, trans-esophageal tonometry devices that are used to directly measure left atrial pressure in a non-invasive manner.
Claims15
A trans-esophageal tonometry system, comprising:
- a trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe including an ultrasonic transceiver attached at a distal end portion of the TEE probe;
- a tonometry probe coupled to the distal end portion;
- and
- a force-measurement device operable to measure a force exerted by the tonometry probe.
1 more element
A tonometry device, comprising:
- a housing releasably coupleable with a distal end portion of a trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe;
- a tonometry instrument coupled to the housing;
- and
- a force-measurement device operable to measure a force exerted by the tonometry instrument.
1 more element
A method of measuring left atrial pressure of a patient, the method comprising:
- inserting a trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe within an esophagus of the patient to a position at which a distal end portion of the TEE probe is proximate to a left atrium of the patient;
- obtaining ultrasonic images of a wall portion of the left atrium;
- exerting pressure to the wall portion of the left atrium by a tonometry probe coupled to the distal end portion of the TEE probe;
- measuring a deflection or flatness of the wall portion of the left atrium while the pressure is exerted to the wall portion of the left atrium;
- and
- determining the left atrial pressure based on:
- (i) the measured deflection or flatness of the wall portion of the left atrium and (ii) the pressure exerted to the wall portion of the left atrium from the tonometry probe.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.