Depth sensor device for use in a surgical procedure
AssigneeEva Corporation
InventorHoward Tanner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A depth sensor is disclosed for sensing the position of a surgical device within a vessel wall during a surgical procedure. The depth sensor includes a housing, sensing assembly for sensing acoustic wave information generated during the surgical procedure, a processing assembly for processing the acoustic wave information received from the sensing assembly and a control assembly that receives data from the processing assembly thereby enabling operational control of the penetration device.
Claims11
A depth sensor for sensing a position of a surgical penetration device during a surgical procedure, said depth sensor comprising:
- a housing;
- connection means for releasably securing said housing to a surgical penetration device;
- sensing means for sensing acoustic wave information during the surgical procedure, wherein said sensing means contacts at least a portion of a surgical penetration device located within said housing, wherein said depth sensor senses acoustic wave information transmitted along a penetration device;
- processing means for processing said acoustic wave information received by said sensing means;
- and
- control means for controlling the operation of the depth sensor based upon information received from said processing means.
A method of measuring the depth of tissue penetration by a penetration device during a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:
- securing a depth sensor device to at least a portion of a penetration device;
- sensing acoustic wave information using said depth sensor device by sensing acoustic wave information generated during tissue penetration by a penetration device, wherein said depth sensor device senses acoustic wave information transmitted along a penetration device;
- and
- processing the acoustic wave information to determine the depth of tissue penetration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.