US 5,333,614 AGranted

Measurement of absolute vascular flow

OwnerAndrew J. Feiringinventor

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Abstract

A vascular flow measurement catheter device for measuring total volumetric flow through a vessel includes a flow-measurement catheter having a full flow lumen of known cross sectional geometry provided with a relatively short distal measurement segment with inlet and outlet ports positioned to carry the full flow of the vessel in the manner of a segment of the vessel itself when the outer catheter is positioned in the vessel of interest. An ultrasonic transducer system is mounted in the flow-measurement catheter for communicating the velocity of the fluid in the measurement segment of the full flow lumen and for determining the total volumetric flow. An obturator catheter is provided in coaxial relation to the lumen of the flow-measurement catheter and adapted to travel along and within or without the full flow lumen of the measurement catheter to function to shut off the flow through the measurement catheter when advanced over inlet or outlet ports of the measurement catheter.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A catheter for measuring total volumetric vascular flow at a location in a vessel of interest comprising:

(a) a flow-measurement catheter including a relatively long, hollow tubular member having distal and proximal ends and describing a continuous lumen having a distal measurement lumen segment of known geometric cross section, the distal end of the distal segment of the lumen having one or more end access ports and one or more sidewall access ports at a point close to but spaced from the distal end thereof and providing side access to the interior of the measurement lumen, the measurement lumen thereby being capable of carrying the full flow of the vessel of interest between the one or more end ports and the one or more side access ports when the catheter is situated at the location of interest, the flow-measurement catheter further extending into and being sealably connected to a handle means at the proximal end thereof;
(b) an obturator catheter comprising a relatively long, hollow tubular member having a distal and a proximal end and describing a continuous lumen therein and further being designed to be coaxially combined with the flow-measurement catheter and be longitudinally movable with respect to the flow-measurement catheter, the obturator catheter having the ability to occlude the one or more sidewall access ports in the flow-measurement catheter sidewall when the distal end of the obturator catheter is advanced so as to cover the one or more sidewall ports in the flow-measurement catheter;
(c) transducer means associated with the distal measurement segment of the flow-measurement catheter means for generating and receiving a beam of ultrasonic energy in the lumen of the outer catheter, the transducer means being disposed in fixed relation to the longitudinal axis of the distal measurement segment of the lumen of the flow-measurement catheter such that the total volumetric blood flow between the one or more side access ports and the one or more distal end access ports in the flow-measurement catheter lumen can be accurately sensed;
(d) means for energizing and communicating with the transducer means.

1 more element

A vascular flow measurement catheter device for measuring total volumetric flow through a vessel of interest comprising:

(a) a flow-measurement catheter means including a full flow lumen of known cross sectional geometry having a relatively short distal measurement segment provided with inlet and outlet ports positioned to carry the full flow of the vessel of interest in the manner of a segment of the vessel itself when the flow-measurement catheter means is positioned in the vessel of interest;
(b) an outer obturation sleeve in coaxially disposed relation to the flow-measurement catheter and adapted to travel along the outside thereof, the obturation sleeve shutting off the flow through the measurement catheter when advanced over the inlet or outlet ports;
(c) ultrasonic transducing means associated with the flow-measurement catheter means for communicating the velocity of the fluid in the measurement segment of the full flow lumen;
and
(d) means for determining the total volumetric flow in the measurement segment of the measurement catheter lumen.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.