System and Method for Optic Shape Sensing and Electrical Signal Conduction

Abstract

A medical device operating as a stylet is described. The medical device can include an insulating layer (or sheath) encapsulating both a multi-core optical fiber and a conductive medium. The optical fiber can include a cladding and a plurality of core fibers spatially arranged within the cladding. Each of the core fibers can include a plurality of sensors distributed along a longitudinal length of that corresponding core fiber and each of these sensors can be configured to: (i) reflect a light signal of a different spectral width based on received incident light, and (ii) change a characteristic of the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The conductive medium can provide a pathway for electrical signals detected at a distal portion of the conductive medium. The conductive medium may be concentric to the cladding, but separate and adjust thereto.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.