Apparatus and method for positioning a tube
AssigneeIntelligent Ultrasound Limited
InventorsNicholas SLEEP, Stephen MARGETTS, James BOWNESS
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Abstract
An intracorporal tube for positioning within a patient's body is provided, the tube comprises at least one location marker on, in, or within the tube, the presence and/or position of which marker is detectable by an ultrasound imaging system. In one embodiment, a hollow nasogastric tube, is for insertion into a patient's body. Also depicted is an axial cross-section of the tube, which has a tube wall in which are embedded ultrasonic emitters as active location markers. The emitters are connected by an electrically conductive drive wire.
Claims24
An intracorporal tube for positioning within a patient's body, the tube comprising at least one location marker on, in, or within the tube, the presence and/or position of which marker is detectable by an ultrasound imaging system.
An apparatus for improved detection and/or positioning of an intracorporal tubing within a body, the apparatus comprising:
- an intracorporal tube;
- an ultrasound imaging signal detector;
- and an ultrasound imaging signal processing module.
A method for improved detection and/or positioning of an intracorporal tube in a patient's body, the method comprising:
- inserting the intracorporal tube into the patient's body, the intracorporal tube comprising at least one location marker;
- detecting an ultrasound imaging signal from the at least one location marker;
- and using said ultrasound imaging signal to determine the presence of the or each location marker within the patient's body and/or their spatial relationship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.