DEVICE FOR DETECTING A PRESSURE, SUITABLE FOR COOPERATING WITH THE HAND OR AN OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENT, IN PARTICULAR A CEPHALIC SPOON - ASSOCIATED OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENT, GLOVE AND ASSISTANCE DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for detecting a pressure, of the type including a detection element on which a pressure is exerted, a transducer connected to the detection element and an elastically deformable shell. The shell is made of biocompatible and sterilizable material, has two opposing walls and an insertion opening, and the detection element includes at least one elastically deformable tube, the tube includes a portion arranged in the shell, the tube is closed at one end and filled with a fluid, the other end of the tube being open, arranged outside the shell and connected to the transducer.

Claims

1. A device for detecting an exerted pressure, of the type comprising a detection element on which a pressure is exerted, a transducer connected to said detection element and an elastically deformable shell of biocompatible and sterilizable material, said shell having two opposing walls and an insertion opening at least partially defined by an edge of each of said walls, and wherein said detection element comprises at least one elastically deformable tube comprising a portion arranged in said shell, said tube being closed at one end and filled with a fluid, the other end of said tube being open, arranged outside said shell and connected to said transducer, wherein: said shell has a shape adapted to contact the outer edge of a gripping instrument or a hand, when said shell is mounted to said instrument or to said hand, and the portion of said tube arranged in the shell extends over an inner perimeter of said shell, and over zones of the shell for receiving gripping zones of said instrument or hand, said tube thus being configured to detect a variation in the pressure exerted on said tube by said instrument or said hand.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an external casing integrating said transducer, and said transducer comprises a piezoresistor coupled with a Wheatstone bridge.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the casing also integrates a space positioning sensor-.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said opposing walls are solid.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a longitudinal slot which extends from said insertion opening provided in its the shell's wall opposing to the one which comprises said tube.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises means for narrowing said insertion opening.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said shell forms a glove which comprises an insertion opening and fingers, wherein said tube is arranged at the fingers of said glove and wherein said loop extends along the longitudinal dimension of said finger.

8. An obstetrical instrument comprising a handle equipped at one end with a cephalic spoon, the obstetrical instrument further comprising a device according to claim 1, said shell being mounted to said spoon and wherein the inner edge of said shell comes into contact with the outer edge of said spoon.

9. The instrument of claim 8, wherein said transducer is able to be attached to said instrument.

10. An assistance device comprising an obstetrical instrument according to claim 8, further comprising electric power supply means and alarm means connected to said transducer and which are able to be triggered when the electric voltage output from said transducer exceeds a given threshold value.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the tube forms a loop on the inner face of each of the fingers.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the tube forms a loop in the thickness of the wall of said glove at each of said fingers.

13. An assistance device comprising the device of claim 1, further comprising electric power supply means and alarm means connected to said transducer and which are able to be triggered when the electric voltage output from said transducer exceeds a given threshold value.

14. The device according to claim 2, wherein the casing also integrates a space positioning sensor.

15. The device according to claim 2, wherein said opposing walls are solid.

16. The device according to claim 3, wherein said opposing walls are solid.

17. The device according to claim 2, wherein said shell comprises a longitudinal slot which extends from said insertion opening provided in the shell's wall opposing to the one which comprises said tube.

18. The device according to claim 3, wherein said shell comprises a longitudinal slot which extends from said insertion opening provided in the shell's wall opposing to the one which comprises said tube.

19. The device according to claim 4, wherein said shell comprises a longitudinal slot which extends from said insertion opening provided in the shell's wall opposing to the one which comprises said tube.

20. The device according to claim 2, wherein said shell comprises means for narrowing said insertion opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The present invention, its characteristics and the various advantages it provides will become clearer upon reading the following description of two particular embodiments set forth by way of example, which is illustrative and not limiting, and which refers to the appended drawings, among which:

[0043] FIG. 1 represents a longitudinal cross-section view of the front face of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0044] FIG. 2 represents a view of the rear face of the shell of the embodiment represented in FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 3 represents a longitudinal cross-section view of forceps equipped with two devices according to the first embodiment of the invention; and

[0046] FIG. 4 represents a longitudinal cross-section view of a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] With reference to FIG. 1, the device of the invention comprises a shell 1 made of biocompatible and elastically deformable material, a transducer 3 and alarm means 5. The shell 1 comprises a front wall 11 and a rear wall (visible in FIG. 2) which form an open pocket at the end 13.

[0048] The shell 1 has a shape adapted to cover a cephalic spoon, the edge of the spoon coming into contact with the edge of the internal wall of the shell. The inner face of the front wall 11 comprises a tube 7. The tube 7 is closed at one end 71, which is located in the shell 1. The tube 7 is arranged on the inner face of the front wall 11, in the groove 15 in which the spoon-forming hoop is housed. The tube 7 is fixed to the inner face of the front wall 11. It may also according to an alternative comprise a portion provided in the thickness of the front wall 11 or be embedded in the thickness thereof. The tube 7 leaves the shell 1 through the insertion opening 13 to join an external casing 10 of the device comprising a transducer. An open end 73 of the tube is connected to the transducer 3. The transducer 3 comprises a piezoresistor and a Wheatstone bridge powered by a power supply not represented in FIG. 1, such as a cell or battery. The transducer 3 is coupled to the alarm means 5 which may be audible and/or visual, and integrated into or detached from the casing 10.

[0049] In one embodiment, the alarm means 5 are able to be triggered when the electric voltage output from said transducer 3 exceeds a given threshold value.

[0050] In another embodiment, the casing 10 comprises means for transmitting measurements, preferably wirelessly, to a processing unit comprising a data processing software application. The processing unit is for example a smartphone or a computer.

[0051] The invention also provides recording the movement of the device from the positioning coordinates of the device. For this purpose, the device also comprises at least one space positioning sensor 8. This positioning sensor 8 is preferably embodied as an inertial unit and is arranged on an electronic board of the casing with the transducer. In particular, the positioning of the clipped casing is tracked either in proximity to the glove of the invention, or preferably on an obstetrical instrument, such as a forceps.

[0052] Indeed, a typical extraction path of a fetus is comprised of two straight line segments having respective length L1 and L2 forming an angle between them. The positioning sensor can be used to track the movement of the forceps corresponding to the extraction path of the fetus and compare it to the typical extraction path.

[0053] The positioning data can be stored in a memory of the casing 10 and retrieved later for analysis, or these data are continuously transmitted to a processing unit by the wireless communication module. With reference to FIG. 2, the rear wall 19 of the shell 1 comprises a slot 17 that extends longitudinally from the insertion opening 13 of the shell. The rear wall 19 does not comprise a tube.

[0054] According to one alternative not represented, recesses are provided in the front and rear walls 11 and 19 above the insertion opening 13. The insertion opening 13 is then defined by two transverse portions which partially define the recesses.

[0055] With reference to FIG. 3, which represents a forceps equipped with the device of the invention, each cephalic spoon is covered with a shell 1. Each shell 1 embraces the outer contour of the spoon 2; the handle 21 of each spoon is located outside the shell 1 and passes through the insertion opening 13. The transducer 3 is clipped onto the tab 23 serving as a pivot for the crossed legs of the forceps. In this particular embodiment, the tube 7 is attached (bonded or partially embedded) to the inner face of the shell 1 and comes into contact with the spoon 2. In proximity to the insertion opening 13, there are means for narrowing the opening 18, which allow the shell 1 to be clamped onto the branches of the forceps without interfering with the movements thereof. The shell 1, because of its size and flexibility, does not impede movement of the forceps branches.

[0056] With reference to FIG. 4, a second embodiment will now be described. Elements in common with those of the first embodiment are referenced identically. In this embodiment, the shell 1 is glove-shaped and the tube 7 is partially housed in the glove. The tube 7 runs along the fingers and is arranged in the shell 1 in such a way as to come into contact with the pas of the finger, the phalanges and all the zones of the hand likely to exert pressure during delivery maneuvers, also known as the hand-gripping zones. The transducer 3 is not represented. The tube 7 is long enough for the transducer to be placed in the pocket of the practitioner's gown, for example.

[0057] The use of the two embodiments will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4.

[0058] In the case of the first embodiment, the shell 1 is slipped onto the cephalic spoon through the insertion opening 13. If the spoon is hollow, its hoop is housed in the groove 15 and the shell 1 therefore covers the window formed by the hoop. The slot 17 makes it easier to slip the shell 1 onto the spoon. The transducer 3 is then connected to the alarm means 5, which may also be arranged on the forceps.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the practitioner only has to slip on the glove.

[0060] During the delivery, when the forceps or the practitioner's hand exerts a force greater than a given value, determined beforehand in an experimental manner, the alarm means are triggered and alert the practitioner visually and/or audibly. They then release the pressure exerted by their hand directly or by their hand on the forceps.