Methods for measuring motility within the biliary tract and instrumentation useful therefor

A method for measuring motility within a biliary tract, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting an electrical/mechanical activity sensing catheter having a distal tip through an endoscope and into the biliary tract through the Sphincter of Oddi, said catheter including two circumferential electrical leads formed about said catheter near its distal tip and positionable within the biliary tract, and further including pressure sensing means for enabling the sensing of fluid pressure in the vicinity of said leads;
• positioning said catheter with said leads positioned within the biliary tract;
• and
• observing biliary tract motility by observing fluid pressure measurements about said electrical leads while simultaneously detecting electrical activity sensed within the biliary tract by said electrical leads.

An ERCP/electrical activity sensing catheter for measuring motility within a biliary tract, said catheter having a distal end which is positionable within the biliary tract and a proximal end opposite thereto and comprising:

• an elongate catheter body portion made of material which is flexible and biocompatible and sized for advancement through a duodenal endoscope and into the biliary tract through the Sphincter of Oddi, said elongate catheter body portion defining a lumen through which radioscopically reflective contrast medium may be injected therethrough into the biliary tract;
• and
• two circumferential electrical leads each having a proximal and distal end are formed about said catheter body portion near the distal end of said catheter and positionable within the biliary tract, said leads being electrically connected to external electrical plugs located at the proximal end of said catheter;
• pressure sensing means for enabling the sensing of fluid pressure in the vicinity of said leads, said pressure sensing means including at least one distal outlet located in the vicinity of said electrical leads and a perfusion lumen fluidly connecting said distal outlet with a perfusion port located at the proximal end of said catheter;
• wherein the operation of the biliary tract through radioscopic visualization equipment may thus be observed simultaneously with the detection of electrical activity sensed within the biliary tract by said electrical leads and pressure sensed within the biliary tract through said pressure sensing means;
• and
• wherein said pressure sensing means includes three distal outlets alternatively spaced between said electrical leads, and three corresponding perfusion lumens and perfusion ports, and where each of said perfusion lumens fluidly connects one of said three distal outlets with one of said three perfusion ports.

An electrical/mechanical activity sensing catheter for measuring motility within a biliary tract, said catheter comprising:

• an elongate catheter body portion having a distal tip and made of material which is flexible and biocompatible and sized for advancement through a duodenal endoscope and into the biliary tract through the Sphincter of Oddi;
• two circumferential electrical leads each having a proximal and distal end are formed about said catheter body portion near its distal tip and positionable within the biliary tract, said leads being electrically connected to external electrical plugs located at a proximal end of said catheter;
• and
• pressure sensing means for enabling the sensing of fluid pressure in the vicinity of said leads, said pressure sensing means including at least one distal outlet located in the vicinity of said electrical leads and a perfusion lumen fluidly connecting said distal outlet with a perfusion port located at the proximal end of said catheter;
• wherein biliary tract motility may be observed by observing fluid pressure measurements about said electrical leads simultaneously with the detection of electrical activity sensed by said electrical leads;
• and
• wherein said pressure sensing means for enabling the sensing of fluid pressure in the vicinity of said leads includes three distal outlets alternatively spaced between said electrical leads, and three corresponding perfusion lumens and perfusion ports, and where each of said perfusion lumens fluidly connects one of said three distal outlets with one of said three perfusion ports.