US 5,348,019 AGranted

Optical fiber pressure sensing catheter

AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma

InventorsJames J. Sluss, Jr., James C. Duke, Kevin R. Lewelling, Shaun L. Harris

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Abstract

An optical fiber pressure sensing catheter and a method for using such for detecting a discrete pressure within an organ such as an esophagus. The catheter comprises an elongated hollow body having a wall, a closed proximal end, a closed distal end, and a lumen therebetween. The wall is generally noncompressible by pressure normally exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted except for at least one discrete sensing area of the wall having sufficient flexibility so as to be compressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted. The catheter further comprises at least one sensing optical fiber disposed within the lumen. The optical fiber further comprises a pressure sensing means which is a portion of the optical fiber adjacent the discrete sensing area of the wall. The sensing portion is deformable in response to compression of the discrete sensing area of the wall, which deformation causes attenuation of light transmitted through the fiber. The catheter may further comprise a reference optical fiber disposed within the lumen of the body for use as a comparator with the sensing optical fiber. The catheter may further comprise a positioning assembly disposed within the lumen adjacent the discrete sensing area of the wall for positioning the sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber in a sensing position. The catheter may comprise a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of discrete sensing areas.

Claims49

Dependent claims

An optical fiber pressure sensing catheter for detecting a discrete pressure within an organ, the catheter comprising:

an elongated hollow body, comprising a wall, an internal diameter, an external diameter, a closed proximal end, a closed distal end, a lumen therebetween, an a discrete opening in the wall between the distal end and the proximal end, the wall generally noncompressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a flexible sleeve encompassing the opening and sealingly secured to the body around the opening thereby sealing the opening, the flexible sleeve having sufficient flexibility so as to be compressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a sensing optical fiber disposed within the lumen, the optical fiber extending from the proximal end wherein the fiber is connectable to both a means for providing a light input and a means for receiving a light signal from the optical fiber;
means for measuring pressure comprising a sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber, the sensing portion adjacent the flexible sleeve and deformable in response to compression of the flexible sleeve, whereby the light signal is attenuated;
and
a positioning means disposed within the lumen of the body adjacent the flexible sleeve for positioning the sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber in a sensing position, the positioning means further comprising:
a ferrule having a first end, a second end, an external surface, an internal surface, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end,
an annular fulcrum positioned circumferentially on the midline of the length of the external surface of the ferrule, and
a stabilizing means for stably holding the sensing optical fiber, and wherein the sensing portion is disposed adjacent the external surface of the ferrule in an orientation generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ferrule and supported by the fulcrum of the ferrule, the fulcrum serving to position the sensing portion a distance beyond the external surface of the ferrule.

6 more elements

An optical fiber pressure sensing catheter for detecting a discrete pressure within an organ, the catheter comprising:

an elongated hollow body, comprising a wall, an internal diameter, an external diameter, a closed proximal end, a closed distal end, a lumen therebetween, and a discrete opening in the wall between the distal end and the proximal end, the wall generally noncompressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a flexible sleeve encompassing the opening and sealingly secured to the body around the opening thereby sealing the opening, the flexible sleeve having sufficient flexibility so as to be compressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a U-shaped sensing optical fiber having a first end, a second end and a bend wherein a first arm extends from the first end to the bend and a second arm extends from the second end to the bend, the first arm and the second arm disposed within the lumen and aligned generally parallel to each other within the lumen of the body, the fiber connectable to both a means for providing a light input and a means for receiving a light signal from the optical fiber;
means for measuring pressure comprising a sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber, the sensing portion adjacent the flexible sleeve and deformable in response to compression of the flexible sleeve, whereby the light signal is attenuated;
a positioning means disposed within the lumen of the body adjacent the flexible sleeve for positioning the sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber in a sensing position;
and
a U-shaped reference optical fiber having a first end, a second end and a bend wherein a first arm extends from the first end to the bend and a second arm extends from the second end to the bend, the first arm and the second arm aligned generally parallel to one another within the lumen of the body.

4 more elements

An optical fiber pressure sensing catheter for detecting a discrete pressure within an organ, the catheter comprising:

an elongated hollow body, comprising a wall, an internal diameter, and external diameter, a closed proximal end, a closed distal end, and a lumen therebetween, the wall generally noncompressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted except for at least one discrete sensing area of the wall having sufficient flexibility so as to be compressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a U-shaped sensing optical fiber disposed within the lumen, the optical fiber extending from the proximal end wherein the fiber is connectable to both a means for providing a light input and a means for receiving a light signal from the optical fiber, the optical fiber further comprising a first arm and a second arm and having a bend generally near the middle of the optical fiber, the first arm and the second arm arranged generally parallel to one another within the body, the bend resting at the distal end;
means for measuring pressure comprising a sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber, the sensing portion adjacent each of the at least one discrete sensing areas of the wall and deformable in response to compression of the discrete sensing area of the wall, whereby the light signal is attenuated;
and
a positioning means disposed within the lumen adjacent the discrete sensing area of the wall for positioning the sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber in a sensing position.

2 more elements

An optical fiber pressure sensing catheter for detecting a discrete pressure within an organ, the catheter comprising:

an elongated hollow body, comprising a wall, and internal diameter, an external diameter, a closed proximal end, a closed distal end, a lumen therebetween, and a discrete opening in the wall between the distal end and the proximal end, the wall generally noncompressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a flexible sleeve encompassing the opening and sealingly secured to the body around the opening thereby sealing the opening, the flexible sleeve having sufficient flexibility so as to be compressible by pressure exerted thereupon by the organ within which the catheter is inserted;
a U-shaped sensing optical fiber disposed within the lumen, the optical fiber extending from the proximal end wherein the fiber is connectable to both a means for providing a light input and a means for receiving a light signal from the optical fiber, the optical fiber further comprising a first arm and a second arm and having a bend generally near the middle of the optical fiber, the first arm and the second arm arranged generally parallel to one another within the body, the bend resting at the distal end;
means for measuring pressure comprising a sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber, the sensing portion adjacent the flexible sleeve, and deformable in response to compression of the flexible sleeve, whereby the light signal is attenuated;
and
a positioning means disposed within the lumen of the body adjacent the flexible sleeve for positioning the sensing portion of the sensing optical fiber in a sensing position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.