Patent classifications
A61B5/03
Methods and kits for assessing neurological function and localizing neurological lesions
The invention provides methods and kits for detecting, screening, quantifying or localizing the etiology for reduced or impaired cranial nerve function or conduction; localizing a central nervous system lesion; detecting, diagnosing or screening for increased intracranial pressure, pressure or disruption of central nervous system physiology as seen with concussion; or detecting, diagnosing, monitoring progression of or screening for a disease or condition featuring increased intracranial pressure or concussion by tracking eye movement of the subject. The invention also provides methods and kits useful for detecting, screening for or quantitating disconjugate gaze or strabismus, useful for diagnosing a disease characterized by disconjugate gaze or strabismus in a subject, useful for detecting, monitoring progression of or screening for a disease or condition characterized by disconjugate gaze or strabismus in a subject or useful for quantitating the extent of disconjugate gaze or strabismus. Further, the invention provides methods for assessing or quantifying structural and non-structural traumatic brain injury or diagnosing a disease characterized by or featuring structural and non-structural traumatic brain injury.
Slot antenna system for ingestible devices
Introduced here is a digital pill comprised of a capsule, an ingestible sensor, and a slot antenna. The ingestible sensor can be configured to generate a signal indicative of a characteristic of the living body in which the digital pill is located. Biometric data can be stored, at least temporarily, in a memory in the form of signal values. For example, the slot antenna may transmit biometric data to a computing device across a network on a periodic basis (e.g., every 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.). Alternatively, the slot antenna may stream biometric data to a computing device across the network in real time.
ALARM SYSTEM FOR INTRAVENOUS PUMP OR CATHETER BASED UPON FUZZY LOGIC
In some embodiments, a self-monitoring intravenous catheter system is provided. An alarm controller is provided that receives signals representing a pH value, an oxygen saturation value, and a pressure value in proximity to the distal end of the catheter. By performing a fuzzy logic analysis of the values, the alarm controller is able to detect that the catheter is about to fail or has failed, and can cause alerts to be presented. In some embodiments, an intravenous catheter is provided that has a pH sensor and an oximeter disposed at a distal end of the catheter to obtain the pH value and oxygen saturation values analyzed by the alarm controller. Embodiments of the catheter and self-monitoring intravenous catheter system may be particularly useful in treating neonates, who are sensitive to catheter failure and are not capable of detecting the signs of failure themselves.
DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING AND MONITORING MEDICAL DEVICES
Medical devices are provided, comprising a medical device and a sensor.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TREATING TISSUE REGIONS OF THE BODY
Systems and methods deploy a therapeutic or diagnostic element into contact with a body tissue region. The systems and methods can sense position of the therapeutic or diagnostic element relative to a targeted tissue region without direct or indirect visualization, by sensing fluid pressure in a fluid path having an outlet located at or near the therapeutic or diagnostic element. The systems and methods can also inflate the therapeutic or diagnostic element during use, while taking steps to avoid over-inflation and/or while dynamically monitoring the pressure conditions within the expanded element.
MEASUREMENT DEVICE
The application describes embodiments including, e.g., a measurement device comprising: a casing, a first magnet arranged within the casing such that it is rotatable out of an equilibrium orientation responsive to an external magnetic torque acting on the first magnet, a second magnet to provide a restoring torque to force the first magnet back into the equilibrium orientation responsive to an external magnetic torque rotating the first magnet out of the equilibrium orientation, allowing for a rotational oscillation of the first magnet, which is excited by the external magnetic torque, with a resonant frequency, and a temperature sensitive magnetic material to modify the resonant frequency.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NON-INVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE
A method for non-invasive assessment of intracranial pressure includes providing an image recording device, recording at least one image of a retina part of an eye of a person using said image recording device, identifying, in said at least one image, at least one artery and at least one vein associated with said artery, determining, in said image, a first characteristic diameter value for said identified artery, determining, in said image, a second characteristic diameter value for said identified vein, calculating an arteriovenous ratio, A/V ratio, based on said first and second characteristic diameter values, and comparing said arteriovenous ratio with a threshold value to estimate intracranial pressure.
INTRACARDIAC SENSORS WITH SWITCHABLE CONFIGURATIONS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
The present technology relates to intracardiac sensors and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a device for monitoring pressure within a patient's heart. The device can include an implantable capacitor having a capacitance value that is variable based on the pressure within the patient's heart and a sensing circuit configured to measure the capacitance value. The device can also include an implantable inductor and a power circuit configured to wirelessly receive power from an external source via the inductor. When the device is in a first configuration, the capacitor can be electrically coupled to the sensing circuit and the inductor can be electrically coupled to the power circuit. When the device is in a second configuration, the capacitor can be electrically coupled to the inductor to form a resonant circuit.
IN VIVO PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICE
An in vivo pressure measurement device includes: a light source configured to output test light; an optical fiber, to which the test light is input, at least partially including a sensor optical fiber configured to transmit the test light with a loss of 0.3 dB/m or more; and a light receiving unit configured to receive the test light transmitted through the sensor optical fiber. The in vivo pressure measurement device is configured to measure pressure in a living body acting on the sensor optical fiber based on intensity of the test light received at the light receiving unit.
Method for monitoring pressure exerted along the length of a biological channel
The present invention provides a method for monitoring the actual pressure exerted by the interior wall of a biological channel at different locations along the length of said biological channel. The method comprises: i) introducing into the lumen of the biological channel a device comprising an elongated tube and at least two expandable means located at a predetermined distance on said elongated tube; ii) inflating each of the expandable means to its contact pressure (Pc); and iii) measuring the internal pressure in each expandable means, wherein when said internal pressure is greater than Pc, the actual pressure exerted by the interior wall of the biological channel is equal to the difference between said internal pressure and Pc.