Infrared system for visualizing body members
AssigneeStryker Corporation
InventorsMark G. Fontenot, Richard Feinberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for illuminating the region of a body member to be subjected to a surgical procedure by inserting an infrared conducting fiber into the body member, the fiber emitting infrared light energy over a limited range at the precise location where the procedure is to occur. The procedure may involve an organ, a blood vessel, even a nerve. Mechanisms and detectors may be employed to locate the infrared emissions.
Claims16
A method of illuminating a precise location of a body part to be subjected to a surgical procedure comprising the steps of
- inserting a catheter into the body part to at least the location, of the procedure,
- inserting into the catheter an infrared light conducting member to emit infrared light to a region limited to immediately adjacent the location at which surgery is to occur,
- connecting the member to a source of infrared light, and
- detecting the location of the infrared light emitted by said member.
A method of defining precisely the location of a procedure to be conducted on a member of a body of a living or previously living creature comprising the steps of
- inserting into the body an infrared emitting fiber that emits infrared over an area approximately that of the area of the procedure,
- attaching the fiber to a source of infrared light energy,
- locating the fiber such as to illuminate with infrared light energy emitted from the fiber substantially only the precise location of the member at which a procedure is to be conducted, and
- determining the location of emission of the infrared light energy from the member.
Apparatus for precisely locating a surgical site comprising,
- an infrared conducting fiber having an end region for emitting a narrow beam of infrared light,
- a source of infrared light connected to supply infrared light to said fiber,
- a catheter for insertion into a body structure to have a surgical procedure performed thereon at a precise location of the body,
- means for inserting said fiber into said catheter and locating the end region of said fiber to cause the narrow beam of infrared to be directed substantially only at the precise location of the surgery, and
- means for detecting the precise location of the infrared emitted by said fiber.
Apparatus for precisely locating a surgical site comprising,
- an infrared conducting fiber having an end region for emitting infrared light over a narrow region,
- a source of infrared light connected to supply infrared light to said fiber,
- a catheter for insertion into a body structure to have a surgical procedure performed thereon at a precise location of the body,
- means for locating the end region of said fiber at said precise location, and
- means for detecting the location of the infrared emitted by said fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.