Regional flow catheter
AssigneeIdeamed N.V.
InventorPaulus Cornelis Maria Van Den Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In use of at least two electrode pairs for the generation of a difference signal that corresponds to the flow through a vein upstream and downstream of the connection of a venous duct to the vein, a first signal is generated that corresponds to the resistance over the first electrode pair, upstream of the connection of the venous duct to the vein, a second signal is generated that corresponds to the resistance over the second electrode pair, downstream of the connection of the venous duct to the vein, and the difference signal between the first and the second signal is then determined so that a regional blood flow through a person or an animal can be determined.
Claims13
Method for measuring the flow through a vein, the vein being connected to at least a venous duct, comprising the steps of:
- generating a first signal that corresponds to the resistance over a first electrode pair, the first electrode pair being located upstream of the connection of the venous duct to the vein;
- generating a second signal that corresponds to the resistance over a second electrode pair, the second electrode pair being located downstream of the connection of the venous duct to the vein;
- determining the difference signal between the first and the second signal;
- and
- converting the difference signal into the flow through the vein with the aid of analogue or digital means.
Catheter for determining the flow through a vein upstream and downstream of the connection of a venous duct to said vein, comprising:
- an essentially tubular catheter element;
- the distal end of the tubular catheter element being provided with a number of primary measurement electrodes;
- the electrodes being connected by leads to a connection element for connecting the primary measurement electrodes to a power source and/or a monitor;
- and
- an outflow opening positioned in the catheter element,
- the catheter element being suitable for insertion in a vein into which at least one venous duct opens, wherein,
- the catheter element (2) is provided with secondary measurement electrodes positioned on the catheter element (2) away from the distal end (3), and
- the catheter element (2) has a length for positioning at least a first pair of measurement electrodes (4) upstream with respect to the connection of said venous duct to the vein generating a first signal that corresponds to the resistance over said first electrode pair and for positioning at least a second pair of measurement electrodes (4) downstream with respect to said connection generating a second signal that corresponds to the resistance over said second electrode pair,
- the difference signal between said first and second signal being a measure for the contribution of said venous duct to the flow through said vein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.