The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 03, 2001
Brian P. Brockway, Shoreview, MN (US);
Lynn M. Zwiers, Lino Lakes, MN (US);
Perry A. Mills, Arden Hills, MN (US);
Mark J. Drexler, St. Paul, MN (US);
Transoma Medical, Inc., Arden Hills, MN (US);
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments present improved catheters with physiological sensors. In one embodiment, the catheter includes, generally, a pressure transducer/electronics assembly connected to a pressure transmission catheter. The pressure transmission catheter includes a hollow tube made from a low compliance material. The distal end of the hollow tube is filled with a gel-like material or plug which acts as a barrier between the catheter liquid and the target fluid. The hollow tube is partially filled with a low viscosity liquid and is in fluid communication with the gel-like material and the pressure transducer. The pressure of the target fluid is transmitted to the liquid in the hollow tube through the gel-like material and/or the wall of the distal tip and is fluidically transmitted to the pressure transducer. The pressure transmission catheter is capable of being inserted into a vessel lumen or inserted into a lumen of a therapeutic or diagnostic catheter for biomedical applications. This provides the ability to directly measure the pressure effects of the treatment catheter. In another embodiment, the distal end of the pressure transmission catheter may be electrically conductive so as to detect and transmit an electric signal. Thus, in this embodiment, the catheter can be used to detect a physiological signal.