JPH0428371B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Various esophageal probes have been previously proposed for insertion into a patient's esophagus in order to monitor the functioning of the patient's body. However, in the past either whole probes were traditionally viewed as disposable and therefore expensive, or whole probes were traditionally viewed as non-disposable and this meant that the tip was not used between uses on separate patients. Cleaning and sterilization create an involved inconvenience.

The present invention includes a long shaft having a tip and a rear end and an opening adjacent to the tip, a lumen extending through the shaft and communicating with the opening, and a lumen extending around the tip of the shaft and passing through the opening. an inflatable balloon defining a cavity in communication with the lumen; means for closing the lumen at the distal end of the shaft; a flexible membrane member attached to the rear end of the shaft to close the lumen; and an inflation device having a fluid acoustic transmission medium that fills the balloon, and a valve device that communicates with the lumen to allow fluid to pass through the lumen and fill the lumen and the balloon to inflate the balloon; The fluid acoustic transmission medium is sealed by the lumen, the membrane, the balloon, a valve device and a closing device of the lumen at the rear end, and also by a connector at the rear end of the shaft, a small tube at the tip of the shaft. a shaft assembly having a conductive electrode and a first conductive means for electrically connecting the electrode to the connector at the rear end of the shaft; removably attached to the first connector; a second connector having an electroacoustic detection device housed therein and a second electrically conductive means terminating therein; and removably attaching the second connector to the first connector while simultaneously
and a quick disconnection means for establishing an electrical connection between the second conductor device, said quick disconnection means having a corresponding device on the rear end of the shaft and the second connector end, in use, the acoustic transmission medium acoustically sensed sounds of the patient's heart and/or lungs are transmitted directly to the flexible member and thus to the acoustic detection device;
After being converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted and converted into perceivable information, and after use, said shaft assembly is separated and discarded and replaced with another shaft of similar configuration for use by another or the same patient. , the flexible membrane of the rear end of the shaft and the electroacoustic sensing device of the second connector are arranged in face contact when the first and second connectors are attached via the quick separation means. Provide an esophageal probe.

The vibration sensing device is placed within the second connector rather than the shaft, thereby allowing the use of a reduced diameter shaft for insertion into the patient. Additionally, the shaft assembly can be discarded after use on a patient, and the second connector can then be attached to another shaft assembly for use on the next patient.

Therefore, in order to avoid discarding a relatively expensive vibration sensing device while still being able to discard an optionally available shaft assembly, a second connector with a vibration sensing device can be used to connect multiple shafts to different patients. Can be used with assembly.

One embodiment of an esophageal probe according to the invention is illustrated in the drawings.

The esophageal probe 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a shaft assembly 12 comprising an elongated shaft 14 and a first connector 16.
has. As shown, the shaft 14 has a distal end 22 thereof.
It has a lumen 20 closed by a dowel 24 and another lumen 26. The shaft assembly 12 includes an inflatable balloon 2 of resilient material having opposite end portions 30, 32.
8, and the end portions 30, 32 are connected to the axis 1 in the peripheral area.
4, so that the balloon 28 is connected to the cavity 3 which communicates with the inner cavity 20 through an aperture 36 in the wall of the shaft 14.
Limit 4.

The first connector 16 has a recess 38 for receiving the rear end 40 of the shaft 14, and the first connector 16 is secured to the shaft 14 by suitable means, such as adhesive. The first connector 16 has a bore 42 that matches the lumen 20 and the tubular extension 44 .
extends from the face 46 near the center of the connector 16.
Connector 16 has a membrane 48 of a resilient, flexible material, such as rubber, connected to extension 44 to close the proximal end of lumen 20.
4 extends across the hole 42 at the end near the center.
Connector 16 also has a valve 50 of known type that communicates with lumen 20 through a side groove 52. When a syringe is attached to valve 50, valve 50 allows liquid to pass from the syringe through valve 50 to fill lumen 20 and cavity 34 with liquid and inflate lumen 20. Liquid within inflation lumen 20 may also be removed through valve 50 by use of a syringe.

The shaft assembly 12 has discrete conductive ECG electrodes 54 on the outer surface of the balloon 28 extending circumferentially around the balloon.
56, the central electrode 54 has a conductive line extending therefrom to the central end of the balloon 28, and the distal electrode 56 has a combined conductive line of conductive material extending from the electrode 56 to the distal end of the balloon 28. has. The electrodes 54 and conductive wires 58, 60 may be made of metallic paint placed on the outer surface of the balloon 28. The connector 16 has a pair of recesses in the central surface 46 that accommodate sockets 62, 64 of conductive material, such as metal. A conductive wire 66 connected to the socket 62 extends through the connector 16 and the wall of the shaft 14 to the distal end of the conductive wire 60 to make an electrical connection between the socket 62 and the electrode 56. Another conductive wire 68 connected to socket 64 extends through connector 16 and the wall of shaft 14 to the central end of conductive wire 58 to make an electrical connection between electrode 54 and socket 64.

A temperature sensor 70 is placed within the lumen 26 adjacent the distal end 22 of the shaft 14. The connector 16 has another pair of recesses in the proximal surface 46 that accommodate a pair of sockets 72, 74 of conductive material, such as metal, which are connected to the temperature by respective conductive wires 76, 78. Connect to sensor 70. As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft 14 has a plurality of grooves 80 extending longitudinally therethrough and conductive wires 66 within the shaft 14.
Place 6, 68, 76, 78, then groove 80
are closed with adhesive or a heat seal as shown in FIG. Shaft 14 can be made of a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride. 1st
Both connector 16 and the second connector 18 can also be made of plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride.

The second connector 18 has a central cavity 82 and a vibration sensing device 84, such as a microphone or hydrophone, hereinafter referred to as microphone. A second connector 18 also connects the microphone 84 to the connector 18.
has a recess 86 extending to a distal surface 88 that receives extension 44 . Connector 18 includes a pair of conductive pins 90, 92 extending from distal face 88 of second connector 18 for insertion into a pair of sockets 62, 64, respectively;
a pair of conductive wires 94 and 96 extending from 92 through connector 18 to its front end and each socket 7;
another pair of conductive pins 98,100 extending from the distal face 88 for insertion into the second connector 18, and a pair of conductive wires 102 extending from the conductive pins 98,100, respectively, through the second connector 18 to its forward end; 1
04. The second connector 18 has a pair of conductive wires 106, 108 extending from the microphone 84 through the connector 18 to its front end. The conductive wire 9 is connected to the cable connected to the front end of the second connector 18.
4,96,102,104,106,108 front ends can be made.

When second connector 18 is attached to connector 16 , conductive pins 90 , 92 , 98 , 100 provide electrical contact between the conductive pins and the socket and are used to removably attach second connector 18 to first connector 16 . , sockets 62, 64, respectively.
It is received frictionally in 72 and 74. When installing the first connector and the second connector in this way,
The conductive pin and the socket pass through the conductive wires 66, 60 between the conductive wire 94 and the electrode 56, and between the conductive wires 68, 5.
8 between conductive wire 96 and electrode 54, and conductive wires 102, 104 through conductive wires 76, 78.
An electrical connection is made between the temperature sensor 70 and the temperature sensor 70. Second
As shown in the figure, when attaching the second connector 18 to the first connector 16, the membrane 48 closing the proximal end of the inflation lumen 20 is inserted into the microphone 84.
Place it adjacent to. Sounds originating adjacent to the balloon 28 are then transmitted by the cavity 34 and the lumen 20 to the membrane 48 and the microphone 84, thereby causing the microphone 84 to detect the sound when the esophageal probe is placed on the patient's body. .

In use, the shaft 14 of the esophageal probe 10 is inserted into the patient's esophagus, leaving the balloon in an uninflated state. To fill inflation lumen 20 and cavity 34 and inflate balloon 28, a syringe is attached to valve 50 and liquid is forced from the syringe through valve 50 and into lumen 20.
Cavity 34 and inflation lumen 20 for monitoring heart and lung sounds occurring adjacent to inflatable balloon 28.
conductive wires 106, 10 in combination with a microphone 84 in an electrical installation for monitoring sound transmitted through a sound conducting medium constituted by a liquid in a
8 can be installed. Conductive wires 94, 96 electrically connected to electrodes 54, 56 can be connected to ECG electrical monitoring equipment. Similarly, conductive wires 102, 104 electrically connected to temperature sensor 70 may be connected to electrical equipment to provide an indication of the patient's temperature.

After use of the esophageal probe 10 inside the patient's body, the shaft 14
can be removed from the esophagus and the first connector 16 of the shaft assembly 12 can be removed from the second connector 18, after which the used shaft assembly 12 can be removed from the esophagus.
You can throw it away. Esophageal probe 10 in another patient
The second connector 18 can then be attached to another shaft assembly 12 of the same type for use. Thus, while the relatively expensive microphone 84 in the second connector 18 can be used with multiple shaft assemblies 12 for different patients, the shaft assembly 12
can be used at will. In order to insert the microphone into the patient's body compared to a shaft placed inside the microphone,
By placing the microphone 84 within the second connector 18, a reduced outer diameter dimension of the shaft 14 can be used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway front view of the esophageal probe, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the esophageal probe shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are lines 3 and 4 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. It is a sectional view of the ivy. In the figure, 10 is an esophageal probe, 12 is a shaft assembly, and 14
is the shaft, 16 is the first connector, 18 is the second connector, 20 is the inner cavity, 22 is the tip, 24 is the hole, 26
is the inner cavity, 28 is the balloon, 30, 32 are the end portions, 34
is the empty space, 36 is the mouth, 38 is the hollow, 40 is the rear end,
42 is a hole, 44 is an extension, 46 is a surface near the center,
48 is a membrane, 50 is a valve, 52 is a side groove, 54,5
6 is an electrode, 58 and 60 are conductive wires, 62 and 64 are sockets, 66 and 68 are conductive wires, 70 is a temperature sensor, 72 and 74 are sockets, 76 and 78 are conductive wires, 80 is a groove, and 82 is a center void, 84 vibration detection device, 86 recess, 88 end face, 90,9
2 is a conductive pin, 94, 96 is a conductive wire, 98, 10
0 is a conductive pin, 102 and 104 are conductive pins, 10
6,108 is a conductive wire.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. an elongated shaft having a distal and posterior end and an opening adjacent the distal end; a lumen extending through the shaft and communicating with the aperture;
an inflatable balloon surrounding the distal end of the shaft defining a cavity communicating with the lumen through the opening; means for closing the lumen at the distal end of the shaft; and means for closing the lumen at the rear end of the shaft; a flexible membrane member mounted for closure; a fluid acoustic transmission medium for filling the lumen and the balloon; a fluid acoustic transmission medium in communication with the lumen for passing fluid through the lumen and filling the lumen and the balloon; an inflation device having a valve device for inflating the balloon, the fluid acoustic transmission medium being sealed by the lumen, the membrane, the balloon, the valve device and a closing device of the lumen at a rear end; and a shaft assembly having: a connector at the rear end of the shaft; at least one conductive electrode at the distal end of the shaft; and first conductive means for electrically connecting the electrode to the connector at the rear end of the shaft. : an electroacoustic detection device detachably attached to the first connector and housed in the front terminal end and inside;
and a second connector having a second electrically conductive means terminating in the first connector; and quick disconnect means for removably attaching the second connector to the first connector and simultaneously establishing an electrical connection between the first and second conductive devices. and the rapid separation means has a corresponding device on the rear end of the shaft and the second connector end, and in use the rapid separation means has a corresponding device on the rear end of the shaft and on the second connector end, and in use the rapid separation means has a The sound is transmitted directly through the flexible member and thus to the acoustic detection device, where it is converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted and converted into recognizable information, and after use, the shaft assembly is separated and disposed of. The flexible membrane at the rear end of the shaft and the electro-acoustic sensing device on the second connector allow the first and second connectors to Esophageal probe arranged for surface contact when attached via rapid separation means. 2. The esophageal probe according to claim 1, wherein the vibration detection device includes a microphone. 3. The quick disconnect device has a plurality of electrically conductive sockets on one side of the connector and a plurality of electrically conductive pins extending from the other side of the connector, the pins being received in the socket when a second connector is attached to the second connector. The esophageal probe according to claim 1. 4. The esophageal probe according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic transmission medium contains water.