Method and apparatus for measuring blood oxygen levels
OwnerJohn M. Evans, Colin C. Wiseinventors
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Abstract
Apparatus for the in-vivo measurement of blood oxygen levels in a patient, including an elongate probe adapted to pass into the oesophagus of the patient, a fibre optic light channel for illuminating the internal surface of the oesophagus a photosensor for monitoring light reflected from the internal surface of the oesophagus and a signal processor for determining from the reflected light signal the degree of oxygenation of blood in the internal surface of the oesophagus. A single optical fibre light channel may be utilized both to conduct light into the probe to illuminate the internal surface of the oesophagus, and to conduct light reflected from the internal surface of the oesophagus to the exterior of the patient.
Claims18
Apparatus for the in-vivo measurement of blood oxygen levels in a patient, which apparatus comprises,
- an elongate probe having a distal end adapted to pass into an internal lumen of the patient selected from the oesophagus and trachea and a proximal end adapted to remain externally of the patient,
- means operatively coupled to the probe for illuminating the internal surface of the said internal lumen laterally of the distal end of the probe,
- means for viewing in a direction generally lateral of the distal end of the probe so as to observe light reflected from the internal surface of the internal lumen, and
- means for determining from the reflected light signal the degree of oxygenation of blood in the internal surface of the internal lumen.
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for illuminating the internal surface of the said internal lumen is adapted to produce light of one or more narrow frequency bands.
A method for the in-vivo measurement of blood oxygen levels in a patient, which method comprises:
- illuminating the internal surface of an internal lumen of a patient selected from the oesophagus and trachea,
- observing light reflected from the internal surface of the oesophagus or trachea, and
- determining from the reflected light signal the degree of oxygenation of blood in the internal surface of the oesophagus or trachea.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.